


The Simplicities and Complexities of Life

by Autumnal_Leaves



Series: Jitushmann in Alternate Universe [1]
Category: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, College romance, DDLJ vibes, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Feels, First Dates, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Good friend Devika, Heavy Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Mild Language, Misunderstandings, Smut, accepting family, chaotic tripathi family, good siblings Goggle and Keshav, teen agers Kartik and Aman, very tiny angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:01:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 33,287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23105185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autumnal_Leaves/pseuds/Autumnal_Leaves
Summary: It was love at first sight for Karthik for the new transfer student Aman. But this idiot Karthik somehow manages this awesome bad first impression on his new love of life, a slap (bitch that was hard) and a ‘fuck you’ in the face! Now Aman would not even look at him. But our lover boy is determined to win his love. Ride with Karthik on his journey of love with college days stories and some family drama.
Relationships: Aman and Keshav, Kartik & Devika, Kartik & Tripathi family, Kartik Singh/Aman Tripathi
Series: Jitushmann in Alternate Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661752
Comments: 87
Kudos: 170





	1. Introduction

Read the tags, and you will get to know a lot about the story. I wanted to write a Karthik-Aman fanfic and here is my try.  
I have taken a plot in chapter 1 from a destiel fanfic ‘Lockers’ by ‘galaxystiel’.  
Chapters have huge word range, please don’t mind!  
In this story, basically homosexuality is the most normal thing with a very, very, very little homophobia. Because it what I want in my country in the future.  
It’s entirely fluff, with little specks of angst, well, because I can’t write angst.  
Languages will be there but very mild and some scenes of descriptive smut. I will put warning in the chapter. So please bear with me. :D  
My tumblr account is @meetkarthikandaman  
And before I start my fanfic, remember this fandom accepts all, because we all are equal, and I dream for a liberal society one day, who doesn’t judge others.  
I love you all, it does not matter, if you’re gay, straight, black, white, of any religion, or country. You all are humans reading my story. And I love you for that.  
We aim to be true human first.

Treat People With Kindness.

Enjoy!


	2. How it all Started

“chutiya saala!”, Aman curses in rage, “Fuck you!! Don’t ever show your face again”. And with a huff, taking back his backpack again on his shoulders, pressing his bleeding nose with his handkerchief, he walks out.  
And Karthik just stands there, with his left palm pressed against HIS cheeks which is about to become red as probably as a tomato, and maybe also get the imprint of five fingers. And the whole hall now, quite magically, is pin-drop silent!  
The crowd soon disperses, the bell has rung. Karthik is still standing there, palms pressed against cheeks, but in total awe.  
“Tell me one job you can do well. And NO! stalking Aman is not a job”, Devika quips in as she comes to stands beside Karthik, after the whole scene, with a not-at-all-impressed face, “considering the fact, he never want to see your face again”.  
There is a moment of silence, as much as Devika thinks he has not heard her.  
“Kar--”  
“I AM IN LOVE”, Karthik abruptly announces.  
And Devika sees the most awed face she has ever seen of a human, total adoration and motherfucking heart eyes. She facepalms herself, cause that is the ONLY JOB SHE CAN DO NOW.

Everything has a story behind it. Some are very simple, and some are more complex than the Black Hole. And what lies in between these two is Love. You start it with a very SIMPLE Harmonic Motion but as it continues it becomes COMPLEX Numbers. Sorry, but I don’t make the rules.  
And that is what our Karthik Singh thinks too. Now.  
Karthik Singh, turned 19 years four months ago, is a college goer in Delhi. A very bland description for our hero of the story, right? Then let’s make it ‘zyada’.  
Karthik Singh, a senior in college, one of THE most popular guys, the most fucking flamboyant, over-the-top student you will find in campus.  
Just to throw it in between the lines, he is gay, out and proud af, and everyone loves him. Because he is very caring and kind and ‘live life in own way’ boy. A perfect teenager, who should be proud of who he is, who loves partying, loves being over-dramatic, but still reaches out to help every other person by him, not so intelligent in studies, does well in biology but very poor in math  
……………………………… and Single!  
But not for long.  
Because on the third month of new semester, a transfer student joined in Karthik’s class. A boy. Aman Tripathi, transferred from Allahabad.  
And that was enough for Karthik to taste the ‘love at first sight’ essence. And Devika had wondered how her flamboyant childhood best friend fell for the smol, squishy, nerdy bean in like ten seconds.  
Love is indeed quirky and unpredictable. Ask Devika, cause Karthik is now busy stalking his obsession that goes by the name Aman.  
Devika is the first row audience who witnessed how an over-the-top popular student can actually become red, an embarrassing mess, a sweating potato for just a regular boy from Allahabad, who is nothing extravagant, very quiet, friends with an equally nerdy and idiot Keshav, who also happens to be his cousin. Karthik now chooses seats two rows behind Aman, who seats in the first bench, so that he can stare at him throughout the classes. He has changed his lockers beside Aman’s so that even for at least one minute he can stand beside him in 24 hours and then bask in the scent Aman leaves there lingering.  
Aman is shy, talks very less, subtle, wears oversized tees and manages to look as cute as possible in Karthik’s eyes, unconsciously. But he has this handsome face, sharp and intelligent, very good in math and physics.  
Karthik has long realized they are the perfect Yin and Yang and maybe Aman is the right person who can finally teach him both Simple Harmonic Motion in physics and Complex Numbers in math.  
“But for that you need to approach him, right? At least go and talk to him first!”, Devika said exasperatedly.  
“I did talk to him, Devika—”, Karthik tried to defends himself.  
But she stuck out her finger, “ telling him ‘excuse me’ for a clear way IS NOT TALKING!!”  
That is why, both of them while sitting under the big peepal tree in the campus ground during the break, decided Karthik will finally, fucking finally, approach him, at least talk to him or become acquaintances.  
And now today after the third break, Karthik quickly had approached their neighbor lockers in the hopes of talking with Aman and very subtly become friendly by saying he will show him the campus as Aman is new or by inviting him to his lunch table during the recess. This was all his calculation.  
But what he had not calculated was the TIMING!  
Timing that led him to open his own locker, that led the locker door to smack right into the person standing by it with a loud thwack noise, that led the person to have bleeding nose and fall back, and that led the to the whole hall burst out laughing,  
“Arey! Karthik just hit the new guy!”  
“HE PUNCHED THE GUY?!”  
“Ha! He even has a bleeding nose! What a loser”  
And many more examples of how a small spark turned into wildfire. But that left Karthik as a stone. He could only stand there and see Aman sitting on the floor with his hand on his nose, silently watching the chaos going on around. And then his eyes met Karthik’s with an icy cold glare.  
Aman stood up. Breathed in.  
SLAP!  
And you know the rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoped you liked my first chapter. don't forget to leave comments and your opinion!


	3. Enough's done

Aman, from the beginning, knew this Karthik guy is not…………………………………………. Safe?

_Safe_?! Yes ‘safe’ is the better word. Aman decides.

Because what he did today was totally unforgivable. Aman is new here. So he expected no hustle or the tension to make enemies will not be there for at least some months.

But he is wrong. 2 weeks in and he hates this Karthik Singh with his guts.

Aman is shy, doesn’t talk much but he DOES observe. Karthik being the over-the-top he is did not fail to attract Aman’s attention. He is loud and hyper. But whenever Aman is in the room or has just entered one, this Karthik gives him THE COLD SHOULDER.

Aman had tried to catch his glance. But Karthik avoids it. Sometimes even fully ignoring him. Just saying an expressionless “excuse me” to cross the path and even showed the audacity to not look back and say, a thank you, perhaps. They share lockers side by side but not a single word Karthik had spoken.

**Conclusion:** Karthik Singh is obnoxiously rude to him. And does not even acknowledge his presence.

**Solution:** Hate him back.

And after today, where he embarrassed him in front of half of the college, HATE HIM BACK, **DOUBLE.**

“you should have seen his face Keshav! I should have slapped him a few more. It’s like his face is made to get slapped”, Aman is literally fuming like never before.

“Now, now, Aman! Calm down.”, Keshav tries to sooth him while pressing the cotton with suthol at his nose.

“how can I calm down just like—”

“Karthik is a good guy, Aman. He doesn’t have a bad record. You are exaggerating your descriptions now”.

“I AM NOT! I DON’T EXAGGERATE!!”

“Yes you do. You always do it when you are angry”, Keshav counters back with a smug grin.

“But I hate him”, Aman pouts in anger.

“let’s not think about it. We have our homework and we got to finish it”

Thus for now, Aman is perfectly content with his calculus homework, with a cup of warm milk, a good brother like Keshav, and perfect night sleep.

Karthik Singh be damned! For now…

Aman Tripathi is a regular guy from Allahabad, nothing shiny or loud, rather very quiet and a dear beloved son in the family—his parents, an uncle and an aunt and his cousins. He is very confident with himself, dreams big with his career, and once you get to know him he is a very friendly person.

So in this big city of Delhi, Keshav was the only person he knew and trusted. Well maybe it was inevitable since Keshav is his classmate and his roommate in a flat outside campus and also his own cousin-brother from Allahabad.

See! Nothing extraordinary. A simple guy who is capable of doing complex things to Karthik’s hormones, brain and heart.

Karthik Singh, likewise, was able to do a lot of complex things in Aman, but the borderline simple thing made him hate even just Karthik’s face.


	4. The Art of Screwing Up!

Karthik has never been more in love. For him it is like he is discovering new faces of Aman since _THE SLAP._

His lover can be equally look cute and can curse like a sailor in front of the whole college and can stand up for himself.

That reminds him it has been another week but whatever the hell of an misunderstanding had occurred between him and Aman, Karthik is still not able to apologize for it. And now he is scared to death. Aman does not look at him even, takes an another route to library every day, comes to locker when Karthik is someplace else.

Now Karthik and Devika are draping in their shared apartment, Devika reading magazines on photography while her best friend, maybe one the outside is chilling with glass of coke and binging ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix, but the thing which is going on inside him…… no one can tell.

Well maybe Devika can tell on counting……

5…….

4…….

3…….

2……..

1…….

“Devika, please tell me yaar! what should I do now?”, Karthik literally screams, “You know I’ll do anything you recommend”.

She smirked, this was going to happen any time sooner.

She takes her time and turns towards Karthik “why don’t you move on?”

“Move on?!”. Karthik thinks. For a long time.

“okay!”.

And Karthik, like a good boy, moves on.

From the couch to the mattress……………….

“ARREY!!! Not moving on from the couch, _buddhu_!!! Move on from Aman!!”.

“MOVE ON FROM Aman????? Hawww! What are you telling?”, the boy’s face becomes like that big eyed emoji on the google board, “not possible Devi”.

Devika purses her lips “then stay here and rot on the couch! _Ekbaar try toh kar move on karne ka_. Give it a shot. He’s not even going to see your face. And I don’t think he’s even gay…”

“oh please! He. Is. Gay. My gaydar is better than yours. Fuck! Why am I even comparing. Your gaydar SUCKS”, he makes a straight line with his index finger to prove his point.

And that earns a pillow smack straight in his face, Devika cries out, “don’t have to rub it in my face every time. At least the kiss made you realize you are gay!”

“okay, whatever.. but I can’t let go of Aman, Devi!”, Karthik-dreamy-eyes mf-Singh mode ON. “he is THE ONE for me”.

Turns out the FATE has also decided that.

“Your first practical for this semester is Pendulum that means Harmonic Motion”, Prof. Ajay Srivastav announces in the big Physics practical room, “there will be two types, Simple Pendulum and Compound Pendulum…”

Karthik huffs in the corner,“ _saala_ , here’s also Simple and Complex…”

“Not complex, its compound”, comes Devika’s voice from beside him.

“what are we doing? Construct Sentences? We have to do grammar here?”

“as I was saying”, Prof. Srivastav continues, “you’ll be needing partners here AND I have decided on that”. So the sudden rumble that was beginning on the mention of ‘partners’ immediately dies down.

Karthik has nothing to do in it. He just sees students pairing up. There goes Devika with Preet. She is good with it considering her new lab partner is a very genuine guy. C’mon we ALL firsthand judge our newly selected lab partners every time. There is nothing to be ashamed about. Just relate.

Karthik is waiting for his turn when he hears his name.

“Karthik Singh and Aman Tripathi.”

Is it even a surprise that every head in the room turned to the two of them? Because the locker incident and the slap is still very fresh in everybody’s memory.

And coming to Karthik, he look dumbfounded as the announcement of the pairing burns in his ears and turns to look at Aman, who is already looking at him with this unreadable scary expression on his face.

Recess time is in. Karthik sits by the table where he, Devika and some of their friends are regulars. Every one might be eating, gossiping, playing PUB-G, but our lover boy has his eye on a certain someone sitting by two table in the front and is about to stand up to leave the cafeteria.

_“He’s so small and cute.”,_ Karthik dreams.

_“I definitely want to take him out for a date”_

_“and that ass.. woohoo its perfect”_

“Oh fuck just go and talk to him. It’s disgusting to see you spill honey with your eyes at him” Devika bombs up at him, pulls him up and throws him towards Aman’s direction, “go, I’ll be right behind you”.

Karthik knows he gets his tongue tied whenever he sees this beautiful man in front of him. Oh! He has his hair parted today! More than enough reasons to speak shit, right? But still he has to go to him, apologize to him for the misunderstanding and show his friendly side as the other’s new lab partner. He just couldn’t get off from this beautiful creature in front of him.

So he goes to where Aman is seating right now with his copy opened and writing on it. Aman raises his head at the sudden shadow casts upon him.

To see none other than Karthik Singh standing there, in flesh and blood, his new lab partner, and the person he hates with his guts.

“You? What do you want?”. Aman throws the words.

And Karthik can stand there with honey glazed eyes, dripping with love that can hung the moon for the man standing in front of him. Petals floats, breeze crackles, a sense of euphoria……..

**“I definitely want to take your small and cute ass out for date!”**

1………2…………3…………………..

And that’s when Karthik realizes how complex a human’s brain is that throws words to their mouth without a fucking filter. Aman’s face slowly morphing into an expression of surprise, then frown, then anger, then hatred, and then more anger and hatred. Karthik immediately slaps his palms to his lips. “no, no.. that’s not what I meant..hee..hee”, he lets out a nervous laughter. “I am sorry! It came out-------”

**_SLAP!!!!!!_ **

“I told you to stay away from me! Don’t show your face. You cheap freak!!!”.

Karthik’s face to one side, Aman’s palm stinging red. And Karthik sees how everything is so going downhill.

No.no. It should not be happening. “Aman, please stop—”

“STOP TALKING TO ME!”. And Aman walks out of that place. By now Karthik wants to kill himself.

One chance.

Only one chance to make everything simple as water but it turns to be more complex than universe itself. So he huffs, eyes brimming with water, feeling defeated and sits on the ground. Cause who wants to feel first hand rejection from their crush? Certainly not Karthik. The flamboyant, OTT, confident af. Especially when you had only pure intention to improve their relationship, not your brain forcing your mouth to talk absolute unfiltered nonsense.

He hears footsteps. “ _ab kya hoga mera yaar_? What’s gonna happen?”

“Trust me. It’s me who wants to give a tight slap on your other cheek” Devika responds, “one word, Karthik, one word. A simple HELLO or a HI”.

“Sorry ya! It was not supposed to come out like that”, he says desperately.

“It’s true though. None of your ‘coming out’ goes like you plan. last time you also got beaten up, this time too”, Devika chuckles.

“Not funny Devi, don’t have to rub it in my face”.

His best friend shrugs, “Just a payback!”.

Karthik rolls his eyes, “just tell me what to do? I truly can’t deal with this. He hating me? It’s not the situation I want. Friends at least! _Woh bhi chalega_!”.

“Then wait! Physics lab is in three days, you are partners anyways. Something will come up. Till then, polish yourself up and think of a better plan to approach him”

“But I become tongue-tied whenever I see him. _Bolti baand ho jati hain_ ”

“No think, if the next time you come up with some ridiculous lines, Aman _hamesha ke liye bolti baand kar dega_ tera. He will rip your vocal cords out. So think something better.”

And Devika absolutely loves the face of perfect terror Karthik is showing right now. She is 100% satisfied.

Thus three days later, when every student assembled at the physics lab with their assigned practical, Karthik scraps his chair where Aman is sitting. He slowly puts his bag and brings out his notebook.

“I will take the reading for the simple pendulum first and write the observations and make the chart. You write the theory and the calculations. Get it!”. Aman immediately says and shots the sharpest glare Karthik has ever seen ever seen he told the college librarian that he is gay. Yeah! The librarian mam used to scowl at him a lot for his obnoxious ways. But now she brings kaju-kathli for him almost every Monday.

Karthik stumbles a little at Aman’s sudden declaration but still manages himself, “ye-yeah okay! By the way, I am Karthik. I never introduced myself **_properly_** before.”

Aman fixes him with another cold glare, “We have enough reasons for that. We’re not friends. You act and talk like shit. And I hate you. I just want the practicals to get over. So how about we work the way I told before. Okay?”, Aman gives the cutest fake smile Karthik has ever seen.

Karthik is totally deflated by Aman’s perception. Well that is a perfect way to shut down an attempt to have a friendly conversation with your crush, “yeah ok, Aman, as you wish.”

An expression passes Aman’s face and he pauses for a moment before getting on with the practical. Karthik turns his attention to the practical, saying not a single word only for a few related question until the job for the day is done.

By then the so OTT boy is exhausted. Being so close to your crush, but not able to interact with him is TRULLY exhausting!

_So he makes up his mind_.

He WILL talk to Aman and clear everything out. Because that is who he is. Karthik, the confident, proud and passionate guy. He will turn Aman to his good side if not fall in love with him. He will show Aman his true face. Not the one Aman knows because of a complex _misunderstanding_ , that could have been resolved with a simple “sorry” if Karthik had the guts a little earlier.

So as soon as the class ends, Karthik runs after Aman. He is just a few steps back when he shouts.

_If not have the guts earlier, then better have it now._

“AMAN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope it's going well! don't forget to leave comments!


	5. Little thoughts

“Really Aman, your apartment is so beautiful. Devi’s and mine is a total mess. Wherever you look there are piles of clothes, the fridge is a whirlpool, and our study tables are literally dump yards!”, Karthik says.

Aman rolls his eyes, “You finished? Stop buttering me for useless things. Do the homework fast and LEAVE.”

The other boy chuckles, “oh Aman you also know you don’t want me to leave. You like me here, you like my presence. And you LOVE it when I praise yo----- aah! _Lag jaati toh_?” there is a clank of a steel spatula behind Karthik.

“You deserve it,” Aman shrugs, “ _aab muh baand kar, nahito khana bhi nahi milega_. Go home as hungry you are!”

And Karthik bursts into a fitful of laughter.

Wondering what happened? How this Karthik who once shied away from even talking to Aman is now basically flirting with him? Well I have already told you: everything has a story behind it, be it simple or complex.

_ 2 months ago _

“AMAN! STOP”.

So he stopped. And Karthik also stopped a few feet behind because he did not expect Aman to actually stop. But he still went strong and swift to Aman and stood in front of him.

“Karthik, I told you to stay away from me”, Aman’s voice was dangerously low. So to at one moment, Karthik decided on his choice of love. But hey! Does love happen by choice? It just happens! And oh! How thrilling it is to hear his own name from the angel’s mouth! Just to hear it every night with him underneath himself------- earth to Karthik, earth to Karthik……

Karthik broke his trance, “but Aman, let me speak one time! Please one time. That is all I am asking.” He made his insufferable pleading eyes that even Devika can’t deny, let alone Aman who had met only a few weeks back.

“I did let you Karthik. And you just talked shit ABOUT MY ASS.”

“arey, yaar! That was a mistake. I was just thinking things and it came out the wrong way. I never meant to say it _then._ I was not thinking straight.”

“Karthik, you are _not_ straight.”

“whatever, _jaane do_! And about the locker, it was a misunderstanding. I was not bullying you. I was just opening my locker when the door slammed into you. Curse the timing, not me. Please, Aman.” _How badly he wanted to add ‘babu’ in the end._

Aman still frowned on, “really?”

“really ba--- Aman! Trust me. If I had to bully you, don’t you think I would have continued it? Consider it Aman!”

At that, Aman did soften. Whatever Karthik was saying it was kind of true. And what Keshav had told him, Karthik was not that bad, in fact he was loved by everyone in college, even that librarian woman.

“okay!”, Aman said in small voice.

“okay?”, Karthik could not believe his ears, “you mean you forgive me?”

“that doesn’t mean you are allowed to say me anything now”, Aman warned.

“No, no, not at all”, Karthik shook his head and stuck out his palm for a handshake, “so are we at the least friend now?”. And when Aman touched his hand now, it was different. It felt like their **dopamine** bombarded and shot throughout their body. It’s SCIENCE.

“say boyfriends!”. There was a screeching halt, when Karthik and Aman find themselves in the corridor surrounded by almost the entire college, and they immediately let their hand go.

Karthik rolls his eyes to Devika, “Devi, shut your mouth”

“why?! She’s telling the truth. _Jo raas-leela tum dono raacha rehe the_ …” Keshav, standing beside Devika, giggled.

And someone from the encircled crowd whistled and a string of _woooo-hoooo_ came out. Aman, being already the blushing mess he was shot towards Keshav and spent no time in smacking his head , “ _kitni baar bola hain aapna muh mat khola kar_. Keep your mouth shut till I say not to.”

Another roll of laughter went down and the crowd thinned. And Karthik felt like confessing something. He turned to Devika, “Was it necessary to say _boyfriends_? It was a first-hand strike for me to Aman.”

“So what? It’s no--”

“I know you are gay! I even told you a little while before” Aman quipped in.

The other boy in question immediately snapped to him, “really? I didn’t catch you. _Actually sab log bolte hain na toh_ , and they say it so like conversational, so it feels normal.”

“IT IS NORMAL!”, a few other students loitering there immediately said it.

Karthik smiled at them, a satisfied one, “thanks bro. I know.” While Aman sees how loved Karthik is in the campus. He thought, _it’s a high time Aman Tripathi. Change your views on Karthik._

And change he did.

Now two months later, in campus, everyone can see how beautiful a pair Karthik and Aman has become. It’s like two threads that are so beautifully woven for the two different shades of a cloth. Like as Karthik had predicted – yin and yang, the _shiv_ and _shakti._

These two lads here are well aware what talks go around them, _the new Jodi,_ it’s not something extravagant. But while Karthik feel so proud and confident and finally maybe he is in the right track to get a ship name with his super crush, Aman is a little zoned out.

It’s not like that, there is anything romantic, Aman feels _. Or is there?_ But still, there has been no talk with Karthik that felt like romantically special. It’s just them eating out lunch together with Devika and Keshav, doing the homeworks together at each other’s apartments, or having hang outs in the weekends. Lovers don’t share this comfort of ‘friendship’. So Aman right now does not have the tension. And when it comes to love a boy, to be honest Aman is a little bit unknown to it, maybe because he never explored his sexual orientation, or never tried to. But his mother always said to him “ _tum bohot alag ho beta_ , there’s no one like you.”

So Aman does not care. But he is well aware how Karthik never corrects when someone refers them as ‘couple’. And should he start about his constant flirting? But Aman likes them. They are light heartening, never anything disrespectful, and maybe this is Karthik’s lovable nature. Aman don’t want to think it otherwise, he wants to stay where Karthik and him is right now and live the moment.

Thus when this constant bickering and throwing of spatulas continue, at the end of the day they all sit together—him, Karthik, Devika and Keshav have dinner and go to their respective apartments.

This present scenario is no less unexpecting. Aman tutoring Karthik on the various complex theories of maths, “arey, its very simple!”, “ _simple hain toh tu hi karna”, “exam tujhe pass karna hain_ ”, and Aman occasional goes to stir the food he is cooking. You can guess from where the spatula came flying from!

Karthik stands up and goes to stand at the kitchen door as he quietly watches Aman in the smiley apron, cooking. **One word:** bliss. He decides.

“Who taught you cooking?”, he asks.

“well, mummy taught me, _par sikha papa ke liye_!”, Aman says with a slight hint of smile that does not go amiss by Karthik. “he always told me ‘when you will go abroad for studies or jobs, _tab kaun khana banake dega?_ And homemade meals are the best.”

“papa? Seems like he takes care of you a lot”, maybe a bittersweet envy make Karthik say this, even he doesn’t know.

“obviously! He’s my papa, he takes care of every one of us”, and suddenly something rings through Aman’s brain and he immediately turns to Karthik. “ _Tere_ papa—”

“hates me to death”, Karthik gives a humorless chuckle. “he never accepted me as his ‘gay’ son.”

Aman turns off the stove while Karthik speaks on “but I’m glad the society has changed. My friends in the campus are accepting, other families are accepting, our state has come to a better place…”

He stops as he feels a small body wraps around him. Aman softly encircles his arms around the others boy’s waist and _tries_ to engulf in the warmest hug he can give. Karthik feels a smile forming on his lips and returns the hug relatively engulfing the smol bean in one go.

“ _Nahi_ Aman, I am not sad! I am contend now, and I have you, right?”

“Always”, comes a small muffled voice against Karthik’s chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have you guys heard Harry Style's new song *FALLING! its awesome


	6. Preparation Needed

After another month or so now, Karthik is hell bent to make Aman his lover. All the moments he shares with Aman is so fucking precious that he just couldn’t hold his heart in place.

He purposely slides his hands arounds the other’s waist while guiding him through the cafeteria, or picking out the spice container from behind Aman while he is cooking and gazes with stars into his eyes.

What Karthik loves the most is the gaze that Aman gives him, the same starry gaze, or the stolen glances he gives here and there during class. Though Karthik tries to act unconscious to them but he cannot help himself to return those glances once in a while just to see Aman quickly shying away and give an adorable inward smile.

It happens when Karthik is no longer needed to be told to bring Aman’s bottle filled with water, or Aman himself catches Karthik’s hand to properly show how to study readings in a potentiometer, but they quickly get lost in their eyes again and a kick from Devika brings them back.

“Ask him out!”

Karthik is watering the money plant Aman had given him. ‘Take care of it. _Kheyal rakhiyo iski. Kuch toh karne ke liye milega_. Start being responsible.’ So Karthik takes care of it.

But he stops, “Do you know how dual you sound after you said it? Not just a few months back you told me to move on, and now you are telling me ask me out?”

Devika shrugs, “will you ask him or not?”

“ ‘ask him out’ _toh samjha_ , but do you think he likes me?”, Karthik says a little bit confident less questioningly.

“ _andha hain kya tu_? Sorry, even blinds see better than you. OFCOURSE HE LIKES YOU Aman! Hell if not he LOVES YOU ALREADY.”

“what are you saying, Keshav?” Aman wants to believe that sentence but a ‘but’ lingers there.

This thing is new for Aman. No. not liking a boy. But *falling for another person in general. It’s his first time being in love. And Aman tried to simply embrace this complex feelings since his date(?) with Karthik two weeks back.

“But was it the date, only? No reasons from before?”, Keshav had asked when the two roomies had sat down so eagerly to have a conversation over Aman’s date night with Karthik.

Its time, Aman Tripathi, explore yourself.

So Aman mused. And when he reflected back, it was more shocking to himself. Because all the threads led him to the early days of this semester.

Obviously, any new person could never ignore Karthik, he was born flamboyant and outrageous, the handsome, cute, dimpled guy, with bushy brows and that infectious smile! And Aman too was not immune to it. Now he reflects back those first few days of his college where his line of vision always ended on Karthik. How desperately he wanted to go and talk to this guy! But something struck a chord in Aman that time.

Being the shy one here, yes it was difficult for Aman to maintain his gaze when Karthik was fully ignoring him, wishing a chance that Karthik will return his gaze, or to linger a little more than necessary at the lockers. When the whole class was looking at him during his first day presentation in mathematics, the fact that Karthik was scrolling his phone, really hit him hard. to think about it, Aman wanted Karthik to be the first one to come and talk to him but HE, himself would initiate the process. Weird, right? Our human psychic? Yes its more complex than you think to be that easy. I have a simple word for it : CRUSH

So when Aman was watching Karthik interacting with everyone else but him, something rose in his guts. The present Aman will not like to call it ‘jealousy’, but maybe ‘insecure’. “what’s there in others which is not there in me?”. So there, Aman did one thing, build a **defense mechanism.**

  * If Karthik is ignoring you, ignore him back double
  * If he’s is hating you, hate him back double
  * Show him you are not reliable on him. You are happy and you don’t need him.
  * If he fights you, fight him back.
  * Show your rudeness, and don’t let him become OTT with you



But now Aman knows well. His infatuation with Karthik has run so long the above list is totally to the drain. And he doesn’t need it. Cause now Karthik treats him like he’s the most precious person on earth. He knows it and he loves it.

But above all, what Aman can’t ignore is the shooting of dopamine throughout his body when Karthik touches him. Its science. He feels happy, contend, emotionally stable and complete. It’s a new feeling and the 19 years old Aman, whose heart is bursting with new feelings and braincells soaked with teenage hormones, at once felt, _KARTHIK IS THE ONE FOR ME!_

After that talk with Keshav, Aman liked to call that night as Date Night. Because unknowingly to them, it was a date.

Karthik had called him, “where are you?”

“why? I’m doing my biophysics paper!”, Aman slightly frowned, “where are you?”

“ _Niche dekh._ From your window.” And Aman at once went to his window to look down to see his idiot of a friend is standing there with his bike with casual tee and jeans.

Aman responded in the phone, “what are you doing here! NOW?”

“arrey! You have studied much, let’s have fun tonight. I have also brought my bike.”

“are you mad Karthik?”…………..

The _“for you”_ was kept silent _._ “what Aman, don’t be shy. You know you can’t resist this bike ride!”. And the look that Karthik gave from below, Aman could never deny it.

So ten minutes later, after quietly locking the apartment so that Keshav didn’t wake up, Aman found himself with Karthik riding his bike through the chill roads of Delhi.

And god! It was a night to remember.

Down they went through the picturesque road with small amount of pedestrians here and there and ultimately through Rajpath. They stopped a little before to have some _chai,_ in earthen cups. And it was beautiful in the middle of the night.

At first it was a normal hangout for Aman, but now after putting everything in a line, Aman could reflect, how it is not _just_ a hangout. The night, now, was special for him, but Aman guessed it was way more special for Karthik.

Because he did not _ever_ leave a chance to show how much he cherishes Aman. He remembered the little gestures. Karthik placed his handkerchief under Aman’s paper plate when having the hot _pav bhaji._ He gently held Aman by the shoulders and steered him through the sidewalks around.

Aman could not just recollect all those memories, or else he will fall into a much more deeper shit than he already is.

Only thing which is done, is, Devika and Keshav looking at their dorky best friends stupidly in love. They wonder how the two boys are so sure of their love together yet so unsure at the same time.

“shoot a message”, Devika suggests, “ask him when he’s free.” She throws the phone at Karthik.

“yeah! But what shall I write?”, Karthik asks back as he looks equally devastated.

Devika facepalms, “what? You never asked anyone when they are free?”

“I did? But Aman is not just anyone!”

“ _apna yeh cheesy line chord_ , ask him fast or else he will become this ‘anyone’.”

Upon that fear, Karthik immediately texts.

_Hey! Are you free this Sunday?_

“He messaged me, Keshav!” Aman is so overwhelmed that his crush texted him that he forgot this is not the first time they have texted each other. So Keshav reminds him that.

“did he text you for the first time? No! then answer quickly whatever he has texted.”

“he asks if I am free this Sunday?”

“means day after tomorrow. Can be a date too.” Keshav smirks.

“DATE?!”, the other boy shrieks, “why would it be a date?”

“A date, because, umm.. he asked if you are free. And if you say yes, then he will ask you out. Go on check it!”.

After a few seconds Aman’s phone beeps for the second time…

“Keshav!”, Aman swallows his dry throat.

“What?”, Keshav gives a smug look, “show me.”

And Aman shows him his phone. His best friend smiles, “start getting ready. It’s your first date, champ!”

_Let’s go somewhere. Stay ready by 6:30. I will pick you up. ;D_


	7. The First of Many Things.

By the time Devika has entered Karthik’s room, the room is a total mess. The bed and the cupboard is piled with clothes and Devika, even Karthik didn’t know that he has this many clothes. Karthik is just sitting on the floor looking as devastating as ever and Devi notices it’s almost 6:10 in the clock.

“c’mon get up _. Date pe hi ja raha hain_! Not marriage, so no need to look this devastating.”

Karthik points a look, “what to wear, Devi? What to choose out of all these piles?”

Devika huffs, obviously she HAS to help. This is how her bestie is. But she smiles inwardly. _And she will not take him in any other way._

_“_ wear this.” She throws a simple white tee in his face. Karthik gets up and spreads the shirt in front of the mirror, “ ‘THE INCREDIBLE HULK’ I will wear _this?”_

Devika turns to give the face that clearly says ‘don’t let me go through this shit again’ … so Karthik shuts up. “try it up with the black jeans and wear this black jacket. And gel se style _kariyo_! You have 15 minutes. _Fresh hoke bahar aana.”_

“ok ma!.” Karthik rolls his eyes, teasing.

In another fifteen minutes, Karthik is ready and already at the door pulling out his bike. Devika is standing with an extra helmet which will be for Aman. While handing the helmet, she says, “don’t say anything out of the blue. Keep it sane.”

“ok”, and before anything, Karthik jumps and hugs Devika in a bear hug, “thank you, yaar!”

Devika smiles with her chin at his shoulders, “saale, I’m not doing it for you! I can’t deal with your _Aman-Aman-Aman-Aman_ chants 24/7! I am doing it for myself. So get out now.” She throws him out of the door.

Karthik is getting on his bike, when Devika again says, “got condoms with you?”

“HEY!”, Karthik laughs out and drives away.

Aman on the other hand, is relatively in peace. That is what Keshav will say, except the occasional sips of water he has to give Aman.

“drink the water. Or you will be dehydrated out of tension!”, he thrusts a glass in Aman’s face.

“ _kya hain yaar? Kahaka funda de raha hain_? Have you ever heard people dehydrated due to tension?” Aman screams out. “and I’m not tensed”

“chill Aman! Chill! Be cool, that’s why I am making you sip water.”

This is when the bell rings!

_Ting-tong! Ting-tong!_ And immediately the glass of water in Keshav’s hand is finished.

“okay I am leaving!” Aman says more to himself than to Keshav as he wipes the water from his lips. Keshav smiles and gives a pat, “enjoy the night, _bhai_.”

As soon as Aman goes out of the door Keshav picks up his phone and sends a text.

_Mission complete, Aman went out just now!_

_Well done, soldier._

Devika on the other side, smiles satisfied.

Karthik is in total awe on how Aman manages to look so cute in a simple green striped jumper on a dark check shirt. His hair parted and his eyes gleamed diamonds.

“Yo—you’re looking nice!” fuck! Karthik never felt this under confident in his entire life. Damn love is really so complex.

Aman blushes, shies away but still somehow manages to say. “your specks are matching you tonight!”

“really? It was my addition”. They both look at each other and shortly fall into a giggle.

“c’mon, or we will be late. Take the helmet!.”

Aman nods, and quickly get on the bike. Both the boys are so excited for tonight. They can’t even express themselves. Aman instinctively holds Karthik’s waist, “where are we going?”

Karthik smirks, “let’s see”.

Twenty minutes later, Aman finds himself in a fair. “I wanted to come here since it had started a few weeks back. So I thought------” , Karthik says with still a doubt Aman may find it not a good idea.

“it’s brilliant!”, Aman says up, “it’s been a long time I have been to one. So yeah—it’s perfect”. He turns to give a full grin to his Karthik tonight and Karthik never felt more proud of himself.

“let’s go then.”, “sure!”

Maybe it is an unsaid rule, but Aman slides his palm into Karthik’s as if it is the most natural thing to do. And together they get into the fair.

It is magical. To start with the place itself, it’s so satisfying. Children’s running with their parents to buy toys are sweets are always endearing to watch. It is a nice break from the daily chaos of the city of Delhi. Karthik-Aman try the sweets and small games that they find almost impossible to win. But Aman does win a an excellent pen holder in the ‘shoot-the-balloons’ game. Together they go through the book stalls and to Aman’s quite delight, he finds Karthik to be very knowledgeable on books.

_This is for what dates are, right? To know about the little things about the person you love._

And Karthik finds Aman to be interested in musical instruments. So he thinks it will be very good to inform that he knows to play guitar.

“really?”

“yeah, it’s true!”

“teach me guitar someday!” and who is Karthik to deny Aman, “yeah I will.”

Aman gets into the line to get a mickey candy floss and adorably tears away one ear to give Karthik. They roam around the ground with Karthik sneaking in his crush’s pictures in his phone.

A few shops later, they find a photograph booth. Aman tugs Karthik’s hands, “let’s take a photo together.”

“but why? We can take a selfie.”

Aman tuts, “the selfies do not always come good.. _arey chalo na_!” and how can Karthik ignore a very rare whiny Aman? So under the tin-shed, they tell the shopkeeper to click them together, Karthik gently but quiet possessively circles his arm around Aman’s shoulder and Aman at his back, they lean into each other…

Smile and click!

Karthik pays the photographer while Aman gapes at the photo, they look so good together. He legit wants to start fanboying over their own photo.

“you keeping the photo?”

Aman rolls his eyes, “obviously! You will lose it. Which I don’t want. So—”

“I will never Aman!” Karthik says mock-offended. 

“no shit Sherlock.”

“whatever! Dinner?”

**“Starving!”

“the _dhaba_ is good! I have come here before”, Aman says as he sits down on his chair.

Karthik at once perks up “ _kiske saath_? With whom?”

“hahaha! I came with Keshav!”, Aman rolls with laugh, “when I was new in Delhi, he took me here. The food is good and cheap”.

Karthik gives a small “yeah okay!”

Aman looks smug, “ _Keshav hi tha_! No need to be jealous!” to see his Aman purse his lips.

They order a plate of _chapatis_ and _tarka_ _dal_ and another non veg item. “this is better!’’

“true! Perfect for college goers!”

“so Karthik, are you getting your scholarships right?”

“oh yeah! It covers almost all my college fees. And my marks are GPA is good enough. Haha! its good. The money is better. It passes all the expenses! And you know , the apartment I share with Devika, it’s actually paid by her father and he doesn’t know I stay with her!” he wiggles his bushy eyebrows.

“and the tuitions you do here and there?”, on that Karthik looks at Aman and smirks, “don’t have to worry about the financials, babu! I will find a better job after our marriage. _Teri sab responsibility meri hogi!”_

“WHO’S TALKING ABOUT MARRIAGE?” Aman huffs, “and me marrying you, IMPOSSIBLE!”

“Impossible! Huh!? But can you resist me?” Karthik wiggles his brows. Damn this cheeky flirty bastard.

“ _waise bhi_! It will be me to do the permanent jobs! You’ll get fired anyways!”, Aman counters back.

“ _bhaiya! Ek aur plate daal dena!_ ”

Karthik thinks it is a good way to end a first subtle date. Though the both of them are too shy to call it one officially. Not too much romantic! Just the occasional flirting and holding and touching. A self-dependent student and an outsider of Delhi can afford this much. But the moments shared are more precious than ever. So Karthik does not hold himself back to completely engulf Aman in a back hug while the other is driving the bike back home.

They first stop at Aman’s apartment. And suddenly the time stops. Karthik leans on the bike seat and Aman stands in front of him.

“next date will be more romantic. Promise!”, Karthik says straight in the eyes. C’mon, he needs to risk it, take up a little courage in himself.

“romantic?”

“oh! Aman!.”, Karthik smirks and pulls Aman against his chest. “you’re not this naïve. And I tried to keep this date as subtle as possible.” He leans in more to his ears, “you and I both know it was a date”.

“Ka—Karthik!”, Aman tries to turn his face but the other’s grip grows tighter.

“Oxytocin hain, babu! How can I control it?”. Aman’s eyes glazes over, both their heartbeats are the only rhythms they hear. He hears and sees the earnestness in Karthik’s voice and eyes.

The bastard again dares to give his infectious smirk, “let me say it, Aman! It’s been months since I have kept it in me. I like you, Aman Tripathi, if not love.”

Aman’s voice hitches, Karthik continues, “hell its love. I have loved you since the moment I saw you.”

The boy in his arms takes a deep breath and Karthik waits patiently for an answer, because he is hopeful. These past few weeks was never a lie.

And his patience is answered by Aman softly keeping his palms on Karthik’s cheeks, “it’s more than just ‘like’, Karthik!”, Aman’s eyes glazes with the shadowy street lights, “I believe I am in love with you, too.”

“its mutual then!”, Karthik sets his forehead against his _lover,_ smiles. The word tastes new to his lips.

“since the beginning.” Aman feels the touch of a pair of chapped lips to his cheeks. And both of them giggle over.

They stay there together for a while in each other’s arms. Aman snuggles into the other’s neck and Karthik whispers soft words into his ears. He then goes on to rub his nose on Aman’s shoulder blades covered by the soft sweater. _He can never ever get a more cuddly person again in his life._ So Karthik hugs him tighter.

“you should go back now.”, still Aman holds him in his small hug.

“a little more!”

“don’t be a baby. We’ll go to college tomorrow. NOW GO.”

Aman swiftly descends up the stairs to his apartment to go to his room’s window. He peeps down and yeah! That goofball is still standing there looking at his window.

“bye Karthik!” he calls out, “ride safe.” And a cute grin for his new lover.

_Lover._ It’s a new word in his life. And Aman loves it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** 'Sherlock' lovers getting the reference?  
> and the picture, it is actually the source of this fic. The picture looked straight into my eye and told me to write a college au. you can find the original pic in Jeetu's instagram. They are perfect with each other....... sorry my jitushmann brain is ranting!


	8. "you have witchcraft on your lips.."

You know, what’s it like being in cloud nine? You should ask Karthik, the so flamboyant and so extra guy in the campus. By this point the whole college can see Karthik is in air.

Because the occasional touches that Aman gives him, and often small hugs the same boy offers, gives enough fuel to be fucking OTT for the rest of his life. And Aman? He can only see how adorable and happy as a rainbow his BOYFRIEND is now!! Fuck! did he just squeal?? But Aman doesn’t care. It all new to him. So let him have his time.

**One week** **in** , Karthik and Aman are the latest and the hottest and cutest couple in campus. The day after their first date, their dating news spread like wild fire throughout the college. And one cannot just stop from gushing on them. But to be more precious, everyone is happy.

For Karthik. Because if he was already a happy person, now he is a more happy sunshine goofball! If Karthik is happy, the whole campus will be happy---- from seniors to juniors, from teachers to non-teaching staff, from cafeteria to parking lot.

BUT!

But are all couples perfect?

No!

_Specially not Karthik and Aman._

“abey chutiya! This is how you dissect a plant root?” Aman screams in the middle of the lab. He is beyond furious as to why their professor has made them lab partners in biology even.

Karthik’s hand are shaking, his fingers are all colored with stain, “babu, I am trying! _Gussa kyun ho raha hain saale?_ ”.

“DON’T ‘BABU’ ME! Do the dissection well. Or it will be YOU whom I will dissect and put under the microscope.” And it is no empty threat.

_The fucking duality in their name callings!_

All this chaos is happening and you expect no one to stare at them? You are wrong! The students are freaking scared as to what is unfolding in front of them. Thank god the professor is not in the lab right now.

“who talks with their boyfriends like this?” a very random girl, with her mouth hanging open shoots the question, particularly to no one.

“these two do!”, comes another random answer from the awestricken crowd.

By the lunch time, students are rest assured that Karthik-Aman are either psychic or are living up to their over-the-top tag to their name or the damn cheesiest boyfriends in the history of mankind.

Because, to be honest, no one expected to see them so gum-sensitive adorable with each other after that huge clash in bio lab!

Near the water filter, Karthik is against the grill, and Aman is there completely hugged by his boyfriend, at his waist. In Aman’s finger there is a single bright pink poppy flower, his index finger twirling it. And yes! How can someone miss that bright blush across their faces. Softly whispering, “you’re my baby.”, “yes your baby”, “always?”, “always.”. Karthik pokes the tip of Aman’s nose lovingly.

As much as its fucking disgusting with all the adorableness they are spreading, its addicting at the same time. Because at this moment, these two boys know nothing and does not give a fuck to this world. They are the only ones. You wish to constantly stare at them.

“Kya Karthik? Take him to a room. Some people are still single here.”, Kabir, Karthik’s fourth year senior calls him out as he is passing by. The lessening crowd cheers up into holler.

Karthik pulls his face out of Aman’s neck and looks at him, and that devilish smirk, “ _chalta hain_ bro! you just don’t need to look at us.” Karthik dives back to his favorite spot in Aman.

Kabir clicks his tongue with a happy smile, “this guy!”

Their apartments are no less messy. Devika had thought, that if they become couple the continuous nagging will stop. But the situation is more complex now. She cannot pin point what exactly goes in the household. And neither can Keshav. So both of them have given up.

It’s the third Sunday of the month. The final semester for second year is almost here. So there is an inevitable group study over at Aman-Keshav’s room. While Devika and Keshav are also not immune to the duality of the couple. To them its more mysterious than the Mariana Trench, that how one moment they are basically cross wording over volumetrics and the next moment so lovingly feed each other what Aman has cooked.

But the two being the couple’s best friends know that this is what makes them unique.

“they will not have each other in any other way”, Keshav lightly passes the words to Devi.

“yeah! They are basically old married couples!”. Devika smiles. Cause her best friend has finally found someone he can express and someone who can love him back. Not to mention the three best guys she has gained over the past few months.

After study and lunch the gang sits down to binge Netflix with some cold drinks, Keshav had brought that morning. Aman has already dozed off in between the 4rth episode and lays in a small bundle. And after him the rest three also dozed off. Sleep and rest is necessary. They also have to study in the evening.

“guys! Any plans for Diwali?”, Devika asks.

Aman is solving the “Elasticity” problems, as he looks up, “yes! Keshav and me will go Allahabad for the vacation. It’s been many days we have been home.” Aman and Keshav both have this fond smile on their face.

“and you, Karthik?”, Keshav asks. Aman too perks up, “ _haan tune toh bola hi nahi_!”

“leave him”, Devi rolls her eyes, “he plans on rotting in the room during the holidays.”

“hey! Don’t say like that”, Karthik throws the nearest object, her pencil bag (obviously HER! I mean which guy is neat and tidy to arrange their pens and pencils in actual pencil bags), “your father won’t let me inside your house! And MY father? He won’t even let me enter neighbourhood streets. So where will I go?”

Karthik so fucking baby pouts everyone bursts into laugh. But something in Aman strikes. He wants to ask a certain question but something stops him. But he lets it go for now!

They are cleaning the extra dinner plates when Aman can no longer hold, “do you never talk to your father?”

Karthik stops from what he is doing, arranging the upper cupboards, and goes over silently behind Aman. He needs the other’s touch right now, his father’s memories are not happy ones. He goes and silently hugs Aman from behind and rests his chin on the shoulder.

“No!”, come a small mewl-like answer. Aman feels so sad for his boyfriend. God fucking hard will it be for Karthik to be away from his father and don’t get any acceptance. And suddenly his mind wavers to his own father.

Shit! What will it be like when his father will get to know that his son is not going to bring home a _bahu_ but a _damad_? No.. no.. Aman definitely does not want to think about it especially when Karthik is hugging him like a baby koala. Aman just wants to make him feel happy, so he tuns to face Karthik in his arms and wraps his hands around his neck and brings their forehead together.

“You know, right, that I will always be there for you? You have your friends to support you. You are financially independent, get scholarship from college, you’re a good student and the teachers also love you.”

Karthik smiles, “I know babu! _But mere liye tum kaafi ho_.” He opens his eyes in time to see Aman looking at him with all the stars in the sky and all the love one can hold in their heart.

And then it happens instinctively.

Karthik lets his body go loose, closes his eyes, and presses his lips for the softest kiss on Aman’s. Aman’s eyes closes too and melts into the touch. And then they together move their lips. It’s not synchronised. It’s messy and experimental, going with the flow, for it’s their first. The taste on the other’s lips, the wetness in the insides of the cheeks; its surreal and intimate, lapping the one’s lower lip with the other’s.

Aman breaks the kiss for he is out of breath. He looks into Karthik’s eyes; both can hear their erratic heartbeats, their sweaty palms and the flushed cheeks with an extreme level of passion.

Wait!

Aman can also feel a pinch of fear, anxiety and……………………. And a thrill.. exhilaration in his blood flow.

Cortisol!

Aman realizes. There is this explosion of cortisol within him, and maybe also in Karthik.

Karthik quickly leans in and gives another small peck to his lips catching Aman off-guard, “sorry yaar, its addicting!” Aman smiles. Damn his boyfriends silliness.

They stood like that for a while; it’s calming, and maybe they need each other’s hold for support, when suddenly they hear noise of clearing throat. They look sideways only to see Devika leaning with a smirk at the kitchen door frame,

“let’s go lover boy! It’s already 10 pm.” With that she leaves with another smirk on her face before the couple can even react to her.

_Did she just see their first kiss?_ But Karthik-Aman doesn’t mind it, just that it is their kiss and it’s more than perfect. The simplest and the purest result that came out of a complex and agonised situation.

And the situation dissolves into giggles.


	9. Talks with Best Friend

Call it as cheesy as you want, but Karthik never had thought that he can fall in love more and more everyday with the same person. The first day of the senior year, the door opened in the class, the person enters, and totally swept away the very ground Karthik stands on.

That beautiful adorable storm came by the name of Aman Tripathi.

That kiss was a huge leap for both of them too. Because how much you kiss on the cheeks, or peck on necks or forehead or snuggle into each other, the first time being intimate in a physical level is a whole new other feeling!

Karthik is now mushy and goofy as ever, if not more than before. And he leaves no scope of proving Aman how much _he_ loves _him._

Aman’s day start with a single tuberose in his locker, so when he first opens it, the beautiful scent bursts through the locker. He picks the flower in his fingers, cradling all the books together as Aman closes the locker, a certain someone engulfs him from behind in a hug. Even you can guess who it is, so obviously can Aman. And together they head towards their class.

In between classes when the professor has turned to write something on the board, ask Aman, the best feeling in the world is when you look at him and he’s already looking at you! And Aman gets this feeling more or less every time.

“look in the front, idiot!”

“ _tu dekh na_!”

The lab classes though, are what every student is scared about. Though Karthik-Aman is the best group in the labs, but the chaos they create is so adorable and frustrating at the same time. While some students just coos when Aman scolds the hell out of Karthik for not adjusting the spectrometer right, some find it absolutely hilarious when Karthik whines for not getting the apple green flame he wanted from his sample salt on Bunsen burner, and gets a head smack from his boyfriend,

“did you clean your platinum wire with HCl?” And Karthik gives that expression, for which he always gets scolded either in physics lab, or biology or chemistry!

Recess time teaches the students not to go to that particular water filter, but to the other one near the library. No they are not scared that they will see some highly matured graphic scenes, but they are human enough to leave space for the cutest couple in the campus for an ‘alone’ time. And if someone ever goes there in emergencies, they just get stuck there with the care the couple radiate, the power they show and the warmth they spread. They don’t see any ‘A’ certified scene, but ‘U/A’ certified ones where they learn that you can also be romantic without even touching each other.

And this has questioned the stability of many other couples in the campus. Not that it’s Karthik and Aman’s fault!

But don’t you ever try to think they don’t touch or kiss!

Hugging is a necessary condition in their love, and kissing? Just that it’s not for the world to see. It’s always private and emotional; you know how much passionate Karthik is when he does anything. Kissing Aman is one of the very top things. And Aman always relies in Karthik’s passion and his hypothalamus to secrete cortisol from his adrenals when their lips touch.

And the moments after, it does not go unnoticed by others. By how Aman becomes flushed, his face glows, his happiness radiates, yeah! people around them get it how much Karthik has gone at length to keep his Aman happy and satisfied.

Devika and Keshav are the very first people who noticed it. Their mind make the happy and cheesy somersaults, when they see the couple and use every second to tease them.

_“make way, make way, students for our kings have set their foot in our college”_

_“is the food burning? Aman are you focused on cooking or taking care of the baby koala?”_

_“Keshav! you know, aaj kal na yeh rajini-gandha phul, they only grow for couples, lockers mein raakhne ke liye!”_

While Karthik laughs so loud on hearing these, Aman gets a little bit shy. Not that his friends are teasing him, but for Karthik who is taking care of him as the perfect boyfriend he is.

And through these teasing a certain desire pools in Karthik that he only wants to share with Aman.

It is a rainy night, its two weeks till the final semester comes, so as every other student, Karthik and Devika are also busy with their practical notebooks and projects.

“coffee?”

“right now!”, Karthik wastes no time in getting up and brew two cups of sugared, milked Nescafé for himself and his bestie.

“fucking seriously!”, Devika screams.

“what happened now?”, he places the two cups on the table with two muffins at the side.

“have to do the page again. Drew the diagram wrong!”

“leave it now.”, Karthik pushes the pages aside, “ _dekh_ blueberry muffins _hain_!” and gives the cheekiest dimpled grin possible.

Devika hunches her shoulder, purses her lips into a satisfied smile, and pinches the deep dimples, “aww! What will I do without you?”

“probably get a little bit sane, actually?”, he says as a matter-of-factly while sipping coffee. And both burst into laughter.

They keep quiet a little bit, when Devika again says, “they are jealous of you, you know?”

Karthik keeps his focus still on his muffin, “who are jealous of whom?”

“arey, Rudra, yaar! Rudra and his gang.” Devika straightens up a little bit thinking she might had said these words to Karthik the very moment she got to know. “they are jealous of you and Aman.”

Hearing Aman’s name, Karthik’s focus shift from his muffin, “me and Aman? What? Why?”

Devika laughs, “that day in library, I overheard them! Apparently they are very jealous of you two, because you guys are stealing the ‘limelight’ from them.” Devika uses the air quotes.

Karthik laughs so hard, “I was in the limelight since the beginning, Devi!”

“I know that, but this time it’s also about Aman.”

“what about him?”

“to be honest this whole jealousy thing is about Bhavna!”

“Rudra’s two rupee girlfriend?”

“yes her! And listen, don’t react strongly on this okay?”. Karthik nods. So Devika continues, “from what I heard, quote-unquote,” Devika takes a deep breathe to stop herself from laughing, “Rudra has now a liking for Aman.”

“WHAAT! AMAN?! MERA AMAN?”, Karthik shouts.

“yes! Your Aman. And she doesn’t like it that her boyfriend is now leaning towards the other side.”

“ _oohhh teri_!” Karthik slaps his palms to his mouth and the best friends literally rolls on the floor laughing, “fuck! Rudra is gay?”

“Bi! And apparently he’s planning to approach Aman.”

“what the hell did just happen? How could I miss this?! You and others all know it, right?” the ‘others’ means Preet and Keshav. 

“yeah we three only know, and now you!”

Suddenly a fear rises in Karthik. A fear to loose Aman to that stupid Rudra. “damn! I need to keep Aman safe now.”

“Karthik!! Aman is not a baby. He can protect himself better than you-------”

“That is true!”

“and moreover you have kept him enough satisfied in bed for him to leave you!” Devika smirks and goes back to sip her coffee.

“ _han..han_.. that’s right. I have kept him happy…” and then immediately Karthik gets a shock, “IN BED? _Devika kya bol rahi hain_?”

She pulls the no-nonsense face, “SEX, Karthik Singh! I said ‘a happy bedroom reflects a happy relationship’. And you keep Aman SO happy. He’s always flushed and glittery after every recess break in college or in the holiday mornings. It’s good to see you having a healthy relationship.” Devika smiles at him genuinely.

But Karthik is total speechless with round eyes and gaping mouth. “we never had sex, Devika!” he silently says. And by God’s grace Devika makes it seconds away from chocking on her coffee. “don’t give that bullshit to me!”

“seriously! Actually that day when you saw us kissing in the kitchen, it was our first kiss.”

“WHAT? YOU TWO NEVER HAD SEX?!” Devika gapes wide in astonishment. “then what about my bet?”

“bet? What bet”

“ _usse chor_! You never had sex?”, Devika palms her mouth, “this means you’re still a virgin?”

“Devika!” Karthik somewhat _tries_ to warn her.

“OH MY GOD! Karthik Singh is still on his V-card! Now THIS is news.”

“Devika, please! Stop it yaar! Now what’s wrong in being a virgin? We both are taking it slow” he pouts.

“there’s nothing wrong in being a virgin, Karthik! Just that how the OTT guy you are, still managed to stay a virgin! I swear I thought you fucked Aman right on your first date.”

“DEVIKA!”

The girls throws another laughter, “sorry, sorry! But still, keeping you aside, that means Aman is also a virgin. You are his first boyfriend. Considering you two still haven’t done it, means Rudra still has a chance----”

“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING DEVIKA?” Karthik asks out dramatically like Shakespeare’s Desdemona. “have you gone mad? Why will Rudra have a chance? Because me and Aman haven’t had sex yet? That’s bullshit! Our love is way more stronger than just being physical.”

“but don’t you want to have to sex with him?” Devika asks him slowly.

At that Karthik becomes quiet, “to be honest I do…but… I don’t know about him?”

“then maybe go for it. Take your story to the next level.”

“don’t be ridiculous, Devi! What should I tell him? That ‘Aman I want to have sex with you?’”

“NO!!! you always say shit, Karthik. Listen, sex is not just about being physical. It’s about an emotional attachment, a promise to your lover, and trusting them with your everything and gaining their trust in back. Don’t you want to have that with Aman?” she softly rubs his forearms.

“I do. But what about him?”

“just go for it. He’s not a baby, Karthik. He’ll also accept you back”. Karthik purses his lips. “okay!” he says in small.

Devika stands up to clean the cups. They still have assignments to complete.

“oh! By the way Devika? What’s the ‘bet’ you’re talking about?”

His best friend stops midway. Her shoulders jerks into a small laugh, “nothing serious! Just discussing about your sex positions!” and she runs to the kitchen.

“WHAT THE FUCK, DEVIKA!!”


	10. The Warmth you Radiate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SMUT ALERT! with description. so anyone uncomfortable, skip the chapter. you won't miss much!

Someone great had once said, “ _jivaan mein ek aisa waqt aata hain, jab dost bhi dushman ban jaata hain_.”

A time comes when your friend is also your enemy.

Right now, that person, to Karthik, is Devika Chaturvedi.

Because for her only the very lewd thoughts are coming to Karthik’s vision of a certain Aman, his boyfriend. Who is currently, very attentively doing the social studies class.

Actually today is not the first day. This has been going on for a few days already.

The semester is about to begin in a week and _sometimes_ Karthik finds it very difficult to study without his Aman. And his touch. And his hugs. And the Horlicks he makes for him during the study gaps.

Karthik turns towards him in his left. The parted hair, continuing to the ears, the single metal earring glistening in his right one, the not-so-defined jawline, and the cute countenance--------- Karthik wants to ravish him right now!

Fuck Karthik! You’re in college! DAMNIT CONTROL YOURSELF!!

And as soon as the bell rings, after a few moments, when almost all the students along with the teacher has left the class, Karthik immediately jumps up to Aman, covers him by his body, holds is face in his large hands.

One look into Aman’s brown orbs, he dives into his lips for a full kiss. Now their lips fits perfectly, move in sync while they kiss. As said, ‘practice makes a man perfect’. In the distance, they hear the three girls squealing as that fade away.

Though Aman enjoys the first bit, but him being the rational one in the relationship and the one to actually remember they are still in college, slightly pushes back Karthik.

“what are you doing, Karthik? We are still in college!”

There something cools down Karthik. It can be Aman’s voice or his deep eyes or maybe his presence, but Karthik calms down. He is not feeling that _horny_ like before. So he stills down and keeps his head on the other’s shoulder.

“what happened, babu?” Aman asks lowly, very well knowing Karthik is going to love his sweet-talk. He always does. Though he does not get back a verbal answer, he gets a Karthik shaking his head at his shoulder saying ‘no’.

“I just want to hold you tight.”

“you are already doing it.”

“No. Want to do it forever.” Aman can easily imagine Karthik is pouting by now. He chuckles a little.

“yes, babu, you will.”

In these past months, Aman never had dealt with this much a clingy Karthik! So much so, he even had to bring to his apartment at the end of the college. And by the look of it, seems like it’s going to be a sleepover tonight. So Aman has dropped a text to Devika already. Keshav has gone back home back to Allahabad for two days, so informing her is necessary.

Karthik is a happy puppy tonight. He is getting his daily dose of Aman’s Horlicks and sometimes his cuddles. And finally quiet amazingly but not surprisingly, he catches up with his routine revisions. It is really a happy feeling. Aman too is also at peace, completing the chemistry questions with relative ease. Lastly they order takeout for dinner.

Aman is not wrong when he figured out Karthik being so clingy today. His boyfriend is already the bigger spoon, now that they are sleeping. Karthik’s nose softly nuzzling at his nape with satisfied grumps. Thus Aman turns towards him, “Karthik?”

The other’s eyes immediately shoots open and Aman makes out how dilated Karthik’s pupils are.

“what’s wrong with you today! You’re acting so clingy.”

“I just wanted your touch.” Karthik smiles and pecks his lips. His hands slowly moves from Aman’s hips to his spine and to his shoulders.

Aman shivers a little; it’s not a familiar touch, he feels it to be more intimate. He shakily breathes and looks into Karthik’s eyes, black, dilated, and hooded with some emotions Aman never saw before.

“Ka-Karthik?!”

“I want your touch, baby. Please let me touch you.” Aman sees the desperation in his voice and a _want_ in his eyes.

Aman maybe all new to love and relationship, but he is not a baby. Hell he is 19. And he’s now well aware what Karthik is implying----sex. And to be honest, Aman is not at all averse to the idea. Fuck! he is also a verging-to-the-end teenager. He is also hormonal and god, he’ll love to have sex with Karthik. Bottomline period! He’s young, can’t say he’s wild like his boyfriend, still very passionate and a guy who loves to live in the present. But that Karthik, the person he loves is wanting to be intimate with him, is an information he wants to re-check.

“Karthik what do you want, tell me clearly.” Aman also has his almost lustful hooded eyes boring into Karthik.

Karthik silently sits facing him. Aman also sits up, “what happened?”, he holds the other’s palms into his small ones. “tell me Karthik!”

Suddenly, Karthik makes up his mind. He literally says, _screw it! I’m the flamboyant-as-fuck guy ever. Just say it, leave to Aman for the rest._

And Aman legit sees the transformation from Karthik, the scared one to the OTT he always is.

“I want to have sex with you!”.

There is a moment of absolutely pin drop silence, that Karthik back tracks what he just said. Maybe he is on his way to regret it. Afterall Devika did say he talks shit ALL THE FUCKING TIME!

But then Aman bursts into laughter, “this blunt, Karthik? You want to have sex with me!”

“what? Why’re you laughing? It’s true.” Karthik rants on, “I find you very attractive and sexy. With you around I can’t think straight---”

“honey! You’re not straight”, Aman seeps in his words giggling only to earn a signature eye-roll from his boyfriend.

“whatever it is, yaar! I just know I love you and I want you. I need you.” He pouts. Aman slides closer to his boyfriend and closes his arms around his neck, “have you done it before?”, he asks.

Karthik shakes his head nervously, “no, never.”

“me neither”, Aman breathes out a huff after a while, “let’s do it……………. Yeah! Let’s do it”, on hearing that Karthik looks deep into Aman’s eyes. He wants to check if he is joking; but he only gets sincerity in return.

Aman continues, “it’s going to be experimental, yes--- and I am really anxious”, Karthik instinctively brings him closer by the waist, “and—and scared, but it’s going to be OUR time together. I want you too, Karthik.”

“will you have the trust in me, Aman?” Karthik asks with a new found resolution.

“as you shall have in me. I want to have this with you!”

“and I’ll have it with you, babu.” Karthik pulls up Aman on his lap and sticks their forehead together and says, “it’s going to be messy, with no plans of what to do ahead. It will be sloppy, no sync!” Aman smiles at his words. “But it’s going to be ours, intimate and perfect for us.”

By this time, Aman already finds himself lying his back to his bed, and Karthik hovering on top of him boring deep into him with his eyes.

Karthik starts with kissing his half closed eyes, then his nose, cheeks, his lips, nuzzles into his neck. Aman just clings onto Karthik to whatever he’s going to give him.

“you’re so beautiful, Aman.” He sweet talks, and Aman really loves it how his boyfriend is making the moment more soft than it already is. “can I open your shirt?” Karthik asks, cause he wants to do everything according to Aman. Cheesy as shit man! But Karthik want to dedicate this moment to his lover.

Fuck! Aman is so embarrassed , he realizes it now. _Karthik is going to see him all naked._ But he still pushes. Karthik is also going to be naked… and they both are boys. Aman more or less tries to reason it with himself.

He nods quiet nervously. And Karthik understands this. So he first opens his own tee revealing his tight chest, not-so-muscular, but definitely packed chest. Aman just gapes on! Obviously it’s not the first time he has seen him shirtless. But tonight under the dim light, when they both have planned to have sex, and that there is going to be lot more than just being shirtless, shades more light to this matter.

But Aman gulps down all the moment’s embarrassment. He is here on his bed with Karthik to take their love to a next level where there will be more trust and commitment. So this time he nods confidently with a small smile. He wants to make this pleasurable to Karthik the same as he’s doing it to him.

Karthik takes this as cue and opens his buttons and throws the shirt on the floor. One word, just one word. Aman looks so goddamn **cuddle-able.** As if he will immediately hug him and squish him to sleep. But Karthik is more _hard_ than to do that, and better do what he first intended to. He at once divulge to Aman’s collarbones, at first kissing, then slowly sucking hickeys in line along the chest.

And then Karthik fucking hears it. What he fantasized to hear so badly.

His lover’s _moans_.

Aman moans deeply, his eyes closed back with his raised chest. Karthik notices Aman’s pants forming a tent, and by god’s grace Karthik doesn’t know how much longer he can hold himself at that absolute sight.

Karthik continues kissing him, he hovers near the chest and with one swift motion he sucks Aman’s nipple bud.

“Ka—Karthik!”

Karthik smirks, “yes baby, on it!”

There are not much words spoken after that. He licks his perky buds making them swollen and red and more Aman’s breaths become deeper. He goes back to kiss Aman on the lip, “I am opening your pants, okay?”

The other one gives a shaky breathe, “yes, please!”. Karthik looks deeper into his lustful hooded eyes, “you’re sure about this, right!”

Aman laughs, “ _mood_ _kharab_ _ho_ _raha_ _hain_ , _sahaab_! Whatever you want to do, do it fast.”

Karthik chuckles and gets out of his bermuda shorts and helps Aman to be out of his pants too. Both basking in the dim light in just underwears, they look at each other, “there is no turning back now!”

“and we don’t want to go back, do we?”

“absolutely no!”

Karthik again kisses him on the lips before he goes back and presses hickeys around the hips. At one particular point, on the left side Aman’s hips, below the waist line, he sucks in a bit more passionately.

“KARTHIK! WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? It’s amazing!” Aman screams out.

A smirk plays on Karthik, “seems like I found your g-spot, baby.”

And slowly Karthik pulls down Aman’s briefs and tossing it away to leave Aman completely naked underneath him. Then it hits like bricks. Why this is all about commitment and trust. Because you are seeing the person you love as the way they have come to this world; nothing to hide, no secrets, just only the acceptance from your loved ones. He’s seeing the all of Aman, and Karthik smiles, he can’t wait to show his own whole self to Aman.

“you’re perfect.” And some part of Aman just flows away. The pure acceptance he gets is what he lives for.

Now Karthik finds himself a little lost, “Aman just bear with me. I don’t know what I am doing..”

Aman chuckles, “sure, its both of our first times, it’s going to be a hella experiment.”

Karthik takes Aman’s member in his palm and strokes it a few times making Aman draw a sharp breath out of the sensitivity. He sees Karthik bending over him as Karthik kisses and sucks his balls and the next moment he envelops his dick in one go. Aman wants to see what Karthik does with his hollowed out cheeks and tongue, but pleasure took him over and he throws back his head with closed eyes.

An unknown sensation, a new feeling; Aman was about to come, but then Karthik stops.

“why the fuck did you stop?”

“not so fast, Aman! First tell me where is your Vaseline?” Karthik stands up from his place.

“Vaseline?” Aman asks quite in a haze, “I don’t use Vaseline. It’s very oily.”

“that’s the point. But you don’t use it? Then what do you use? As moisturizer.”

**“Neiva, sometimes Ponds. But why do you want it?” Aman is a little bit confused here.

“we have to use somet hing as lubricant. Now where is it?”

“second drawer before the mirror” Karthik leaves to fetch up the crème, “Karthik are you going to leave me like this?” Aman asks frustratingly pointing at his erection.

Karthik huffs, “baby I’m no less in than you!”. He sits down, “I have to apply it on both of us…………. For less friction. And so that it can be fast and pleasurable. And you will need it more than me.”

“why me? Oh!! So I will take in you?”

“if you want to that is.”

“yeah- okay! I can’t do all that stuff. So…………… that means you are going to use that FUCKING PONDS IN MY ASSHOLE?” Aman widens his eyes.

Karthik laughs, “and my dick too”. Aman chuckles, “it’s fragranced!”

Both laughs out loud.

“so are you ready?”, “yes! But it’s funny!”

“yeah it is”…

“okay do this, bend your legs okay?”

“okay!”

“it’s weird”, Karthik lets Aman to continue talking, as he positions his one leg over his shoulder. He smears some moisturizer over his fingers. He glances once at Aman and nods. Aman nods back.

And so Karthik lets his one finger in his entrance. Aman shakes up with a feeling he never felt before; never so stretched out. Karthik inserts another finger in.

“KARTHIK!”, Aman screams. Karthik immediately takes out his fingers, “what happened? Did I hurt you?”

“your nails! They are fucking poking inside me.”

Karthik huffs, “ _abey saale_ …”, both falls into a laugh, “it’s not going to be perfect!”

...

Karthik scissors into Aman, that sends him straight to heaven. _Fuck! he’ll have sex everyday with Karthik!_

“Karthik I can’t control.”, Aman gasps as Karthik finds his prostate, adding his third finger, and massages on.

“you think you can take me now?”

“ye—yeah!”

...

Karthik tightly intertwines his fingers with Aman’s, as he pushes himself in him. “oh fuck!” Aman breathes out.

Karthik stays still for a few moment, lets Aman adjusts with the new feeling. Aman feels this new feeling of wholeness as does Karthik. While Aman takes in this new sense of being filled up, Karthik wraps his brain up with the touch of the tight heat around him. They groan at the new sensation.

“move Karthik!” and so Karthik does, starting with slow thrusts as he sees Aman moaning his name in small with each and every one. He adds a little bit more of a moisturizer.

Karthik snuggles his face right into Aman neck peppering kisses and sucking hickeys every place. He gradually speeds up his pace trying to reach even deep down. Oh, how he feels he’s one with him. Like Yin and Yang fit together!

Aman tightly holds onto his lover as strong as possible around his shoulders with his arms. “Karthik—I love you!”, he breathes out.

His lover smiles, “I love you too, Aman!”

Aman’s body arch with pleasure, he can feel the burn. But he is loving the burn, the pain and everything that comes with it.

They both are panting, skin glistening with sweat and that heat that they shared is something that they want to be used to.

“are you okay? Did I hurt you?” Karthik asks quiet consciously,

“it’s good! It feels so good!” Aman literally throws heart eyes to him. Karthik breathes deeply. “okay.”

Karthik doesn’t wait anymore and start thrusting his hips fast. Aman is reduced to a moaning mess. The layer of his pre cum is staining his abdomen.

“Karthik I’m close!”, the haze intensifies, as he starts thrashing because of the feeling.

“yes baby! Come for me.” He whispers with that evil smirk on his lips.

That is enough for Aman.

“AAHHH!”, Aman screams as he feels hot liquid spurting from his member. Karthik helps him stroking until he’s dry out of sensitivity, “oh god!”

Aman reaches his climax, making him clench around Karthik, tight. “fuck!” Karthik’s movements become sloppy, as he shoots his own climax. His body loses it as he falls onto Aman.

Both breathes hard, gasping for air after their whole satisfying first sex. They stay like that for a few moments, when ultimately Karthik pulls him out of his lover.

Aman groans at the loss of being filled up, “Karthik? Where are you going?”

Karthik chuckles, “have to throw the condom, babu!”

“condom? When did you wear one?”

“when you were too high by just me biting your hips and its safe sex!” he says smugly.

Aman throws the nearest thing he can reach; a pillow. Obviously Karthik doges it and goes into the bathroom.

After cleaning himself up and Aman with a warm towel with utmost care in his bed, they cuddle up. Being the little spoon and the bigger spoon. Karthik loves this, him nuzzling into Aman’s nape.

_BLISS._

“I was 15, when my father got to know about it!”, Karthik suddenly says when everything was silent.

“hmmm?” Aman frowns from his almost near to being asleep.

“he somehow got to know I am gay,” Karthik carries on. It takes Aman’s focus. He turns to his lovers and sates at him, “and he beat me up so hard—I can never forget the day! And he threw me out of the house.”

Aman immediately takes his face into his hands, caresses his cheeks, “you know you’re not alone, right?”

Karthik smiles sadly, “I know, that’s why I told You. That day you asked about my father. I don’t like talking about him… but what can I do. He’s still my father!”

“and somewhere he still loves you!”

“yeah?”

“yeah!” Aman reassures. Because this is the perfect time to say it. Both of them together in each other’s arms.

“I don’t think, that my father even know I am gay! Hell even I didn’t know I like boys until you came along.”, Aman confesses, “I mean I knew, but never thought it‘s kind of a romantic thing. That it is what I am and we should be proud of it no matter what!”

“so what, I am like your ‘gay-awakening’?” Karthik asks, wriggling his eyebrows.

“shut it, _saale_! If I had ignored you on that first day of college, you wearing that multicolor tee, orange pants and red and white shoes, we would have not been here, today!”

Aman tries to take the upper hand.

“haawwww!”but his lover is the dramatic as ever, “babu, you remember what I even wore on that day. So sweet!” he tucks Aman’s chin with his hand.

“ _tujhse na baat kaarna hi bekar hain_!” Aman again goes to keep his back against Karthik chest. But Karthik smiles satisfyingly, wriggles into Aman just like before, very well knowing Aman has this stupid shit eating-grin on his face, as they go into their own heaven of sleep!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts?


	11. One Step at a Time.

Trust it when people say, sometimes everything can change overnight.

And nobody understood it better than Karthik and Aman. Something really changed after their night of first love making. There is always something in their breathes, their touches, their glances at each other, or having dinner together, etc. and also a mutual understanding. And a growth of their love every day.

Now not everyone can express their love the same. Every couple is different. While some choose complex stuffs like writing a whole ass love letter written with glitter pen and scented with perfume every other day, some choose as simple as bringing food to their better halves or pack up their bags with telling them.

But every couple is unique, their romance is unique, their ideology and behaviours too. _But only as long as the LOVE is alive._

For our protagonist couple of the story, it is one of a kind in their own way.

That Aman, aside from a single tuberose now in his locker, an Eclairs or a Pulse (Aman’s favourite) is kept every day. And also the occasional kisses that Karthik keeps dropping every now and then in his nape, cheeks, his forehead, or god forbid on his lips, in front of the whole fucking college.

Just, yesterday, the five friends—Devika, Karthik, Aman, Keshav and Preet were having lunch, when a senior messaged Karthik to come to the hall room immediately. Keshav stood up mid-lunch, earning quiet a questionable glances from his friends, and a certain slight worried glance.

Karthik melted at that. “oh baby! Don’t worry I’ll come soon.” And he bended to peck his lover full on the lips with a smacking sound ‘muaahh’ and jump out of his seats, too ignorant to see what actually went through the whole canteen.

To break down bit by bit, Aman was shocked to even realise what just happened. And when he did, actually he was taken out of his stance from the round of holler that occurred around, he reduced to this soft ball of blushing mess. _Chutiya aaj ghar chal, tera hoga!_ Is what he had thought inside. But he was well aware, his boyfriend’s inner ‘I don’t give a fuck what others think’ was coming to the surface.

He just once looked around to see others cooing, some couples, specially Bhavna complaining her boyfriend on why he cannot be this cute to her. How will he? He was already burning because of Karthik’s public claim on the person he is sort of interested in. so it’s better for the matter to slide here. It’s not a matter to sweat over. If later, we SHALL see.

If you guys and Aman had thought that Karthik’s PDA stopped here, you more wrong than the myths of El Dorado. He even reached to the point where he wore this damn rainbow dyed shirt over an aqua colored pants, went over his knees with bouquet of flowers for Aman in the locker room……………….. filled with students.

“Aman please accept this small gift as a symbol of my love for you.”

And when? Just a day after their night *smirk* together.

Aman so very wanted to throw up at this corny shit, but his hormones (the fluids which you have no control over) took over him, and every one present there tried to ignore the glassy eyes Aman had then and a pout. C’mon, our boys now do deserve another round of “aawwwww”.

‘The week of the sex’, as Devika christened the week, rolls into the next, the exams just a few days away. Aman almost every day brings home made lunch; sandwich some days, or paratha-aachar, or a simple fried rice with veggies (made with the previous night’s leftover rice). Stop Karthik if you can from having the tiffin that day! Aman’s hugs have also increased these days. One pout on Karthik’s lips or a tensed shoulder, he instinctively snuggles into Karthik and envelops him the best he can. One sniff of Aman’s scent from the crook of his neck, Karthik is ready to battle any evil of this world.

“it’s my fuel”, Karthik had once told this Devika.

But our lovesick teenage idiots still does not realise the extent of their love. They are having the fun time enjoying the love in present. Doesn’t know what awaits in the future. And how strong is their love to simply fight against the complexity of human race. They are now satisfied with Karthik sitting by the lake with Aman slightly on his lap, glued together, watching the sunset.

.

Aman, Devika and Keshav are in the library writing for their last moment notes. Karthik has gone for his tuition class to some class 7 children. He had to go, as it will the last tuition class for the month as his semester will set in. For Karthik, it is a good job. He teaches English, Math, a little bit of History and Life Science. He is known to be passionate boy, so children love it when he tells the stories from history as per the text book, with exaggerated war description, or very lightly make them understand grammar. Class 7 math is easy, right Karthik? And Life Science is Karthik’s main paper in college. So when as long as Karthik is happy, the children are happy, and the parents are happy, there is a good income every month through these classes.

Keshav’s phone vibrates in the middle.

“aye! Its _tauji_!”, Keshav looks at Aman, “he’s calling now”

“papa? What’s he saying?” Aman frowns. “he’s calling you, not me?”

“let’s see!”, Keshav goes out of the room to take the call.

“look, maybe he wanted to call you, but didn’t get the line”, Devika pipes in.

Aman shrugs, and goes back to write down the factors affecting resistivity of a material. It is after a few moments, he hears Devika call his name, “Aman?”

He does not look up, “ _ha, bolo_?”. Devika doesn’t instantly response, she carries on to look at Aman.

Meeting the silence only, Aman looks up, and sees Devika staring at him, “woh! You look creepy, Devi!”

He chuckles at the humor, but the girl looks utter serious.

“you very well know, how much Karthik loves you right?”, she deadpans.

Aman shakes up a bit, “where from is this coming now, Devika? Yes I know Karthik loves me lot!”

“that he can do anything for you?”

Aman frowns. _What in the hell is Devika up to?_ She continues, “I don’t want him hurt.”

Ohhh……..

OOHHHH!!!!...........................

Now Aman takes a hint. Devika is approaching to give him THE TALK, the ‘hurt my best friend and I will kill you’ talk.

Aman smiles, “neither do I Devika. And I shall never spare those people who tries to hurt him.” He says with a certain conviction, which give the signal to Devika.

She leans back to the chair, and smirks, “good! I expected nothing less from you Aman. Keep him happy, he deserves it, and you deserve him more than anyone.”

Both fall into a genuine smile for each other, “thanks, Devi.”

“nahh, don’t say thank you, rather call me in time to time to know how to keep Karthik in check”, Aman laughs out loud.

“I am leaving now”, Devika stands up collecting her things, “I have to go to the stationaries. I’ll catch you up guys later.”

He nods and help Devika with her things as she leaves.

Aman sits there alone writing as fast as he can. He needs to complete it asap but he also wants to take a break. It’s four in the clock, the library as silent as possible, the ceiling fans rotating up the head. It’s a monotonous feeling. Damn! Where is even Keshav? So he takes out his phone to call Karthik.

He is going through his phone when someone sits in the chair opposite to him. Aman looks up to see a familiar face. A guy with a light beard, tall, eyes very glassy, with a normal handsome face. Decent clothes and not rogue looking.

The guy is the first person to speak, “Hi.”

‘‘H-Hi, ummm…….’’, Aman tries a little awkwardly to get the name at least. Cause he can remember the face but cannot place it with the name.

The stranger seems to get the point, “oh! Aman, I’m from your section 2----”,

“oh? Wait.. wait, you’re Rudra! Right?”, Aman huffs remembering him, “that’s why I felt like I see you every day, but couldn’t place your face!”

“yeah! Rudra. I’m Rudra Saha, you know me?”

“yes—yes I remember. You’re quiet popular in your class”, Aman gives a grin, “so you want anything?” Rudra sits shell shocked there. From his expectation, he did not think, Aman will be this straightforward. But he composes himself and put on a smirk and as usual put on an attitude he all the time has. “I actually wanted to ask you something.”

Aman smiles politely, “sure, carry on”

“I really like you Aman!”, Rudra licks his lower lip in to a smirk.

Aman narrows his eyes, “excuse me?”

Rudra leans over on the table and traces Aman’s palm with his fingers, and says with a deep voice, “I want to take you out. For a date.”

Aman immediately snatches his hands to him. He looks so utterly confused, with the frown, “WHAT? What are you saying? Rudra----”

“be my boyfriend, Aman Tripathi.”

Rudra must have thought, it will be **real easy** to approach Aman. It’s not his fault though, because boy, never he has faced any rejection before. His good looks go, he has money, and he knows how to attract people. Even Bhavna came into the fame of being, Rudra Saha’s girlfriend like that, after a night of intense make out and sweat of a college fest. Girls would throw themselves at his feet. Cringey, right? That’s how disgusting Rudra is!

But is Aman your average people? So what happened is that Aman screams. OBVIOUSLY!

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?”, thank for they both are in the back section of the library.

“be my------” ,

“shut the fuck up! I heard what you said the first time,” Aman is literally disgusted and absolute in rage this guy.

But Rudra continues, “leave Karthik, and come with me Aman, I can love you more than him.”

“are you shit crazy?” Aman stands up, “listen Rudra, you’re talking garbage, okay, and I don’t give fuck to you! and how the hell you expect me to leave Karthik? For one I don’t even know you, except as another college student and second, Karthik is my boyfriend whom I love very much and I am HAPPY with him. So how dare you???” Aman stops his rants. He’s absolutely livid. Who is this random person to come and propose him? And also suggest to leave Karthik.

Aman bends over and points his fingers in his face, “don’t you dare to suggest anything like that again. So leave before I do something very drastic.” It is enough of a death sentence.

Meanwhile, Keshav comes to the table where he sees Rudra sitting. Something rungs in him, yeah because know about the recent Rudra’s possible crush on his cousin.

“what’s happening here?”, he looks sharply at Rudra.

But Aman responses for him, “Rudra here is about to leave isn’t he?” and clear indication of GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE.

Rudra now, does stand up, but his eyes shows other words and emotion. And with one swift turn he goes out.

Keshav packs up to leave with Aman too. “what happened Aman? Why was he here?” he asks.

Aman shrugs it off, “no.. no…. nothing, just him talking trash!.” he takes a deep breathe in and composes.

“but where were you? You took so long, Keshav!”

Now Keshav deflates, clicks his mouth,

“oh Aman!!!! _Tauji_ and _taiji_ are coming to Delhi, in the middle of our semester. They want to come and see how we are staying in our new place. And also wishes to take a day out around Delhi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> liking the story?


	12. A time comes...

Aman is known to be a very patient guy under the worst of circumstances. He knows how to handle things in cool and calm, give others ideas and simple solutions on how to deal with complex problems and obstacles.

Now what is a greater problem to college students than the final semesters of each year? Every student become a living zombie and throw shit slangs to the question setters and professors. And this time Aman is also not an exception.

Physics nearly made him cry; he got the question paper, four and a half page in total, and the unexpected diagrams of Interference and Center of Mass, made him crazy. He gave the exam, though. Karthik was sitting two benches behind him. He turned once to look at him to see him already looking back. Karthik showed his hand in a comforting gesture and nodded once. _It’s going to be alright, babu._

Aman pursed his lips, took a deep breath and nodded back, as well showed a thumbs up. _Yeah, it’ll be. All the best._

After the exam, Aman had thrashed himself in to Karthik’s chest. He was so scared, and Karthik like always had acted like his sedative, his personal pacifier. He had a blast in the physics paper. Karthik had given a smug smile, and pecked his cheeks, “was it alright, Aman?”

Aman had only nodded and rubbed his face deeper on his chest with a small, very low, “thank you.”

But little did Aman knew, the impact on Karthik was more greater. He was as sure of the plus-minus 95% percent of the questions he had attempted. No one can stop him from having this the best physics exam of his lifetime. And before Aman had come to him in the hallway after the exam had finished, Karthik was so religiously boasting that it was all due to Aman’s time to time Horlicks doses, or the occasional smacks, and his constant vigil on him.

They are one hell of a couple! *phew*

Same had happened during the rest of the exams. Say it chemistry or math or social studies, or life science or EVS! Karthik had been quiet the ready-to-face kind of the guy. And often Aman envied him for that, he wanted to be that tensionless.

“but if you had been that tensionless, would you have turned at me, before every exam, and have the eye conversation with me?” Karthik had questioned back when Aman asked him for tips to be chilled during exams.

Thus for his cheesy as shit boyfriend, he let it slide. Along with Karthik, Devika and Keshav, the ended the semester very well. From within they were confident enough to have good results.

“Sunaina ji, I had told you, our Aman would do good in the exams _. Hain na_?”, Shankar Tripathi inflated his chest and says. 

“ _woh toh aap humesha sei bolte aa rahe hain. Since his class 1.”_ Sunaina Tripathi answers from the table from where she’s sitting. Aman and Keshav are also sitting at the table for the breakfast. And Aman cannot stop rolling his eyes out of frustration ever since.

Yes! The Tripathi parents are in the house as expected. In fact they had come just a few days ago from Allahabad. “Agli baar, Chaman, Champa and Goggle ayenge!” Shankar ji had told this with such a big happy face.

That their son is studying in Delhi, and that his semester just now ended, they planned to come here apparently on a vacation for a trip round Delhi. Initially they wanted Aman to take them out, but due to his last exam, they alone went out for India………..

“your holiday starts from today. Then let’s go for the _Lakhsmi_ temple today. What do we call that? Ha.. ha.. Lotus Temple.”, Shankar ji chimes in.

Aman clicks his tongue, “what papa, I told you yesterday night! I can’t go out today. The college students will have a get-together tonight. We all will go.” Aman frowns, “even Keshav will go.”

Sunaina ji makes a face, “kya beta? We are just asking you to take us for a temple visit-----”

“Mummy, don’t give me the senti-words. Okay? I’m just telling it’s not possible for me today. Tomorrow I’ll take you there.” Then Aman thinks about an idea, he lights up*, “maybe I’ll also call our friends. We all can have fun.”

“your friends?”, his father looks in suspicion.

“they all are very good friends!”, Keshav intervenes, with a teasing smirk pointed at Aman, “specially Karthik, he’s a very good boy, and _very_ close to Aman.” Aman blushes till the tips of his ears.

“really?”

“aaa-----”, Aman screams, “why don’t we see that tomorrow? You guys go now and get ready, for today!” Aman push them up to get them ready. But he does not forget to give the deadliest of all glares to Keshav at the end.

.

“dealing with parents can be so hard sometimes!”, Aman sighs as he leans into Karthik’s chest sideways. The music blaring in the background and people are really involved in the dancing with whatever dance step they can think of.

Karthik smiles and turns to place a kiss to the other’s temple and rest his cheeks on Aman’s head. The height difference really helps. Karthik giggles more at the thought.

He had picked Aman from his apartment at 7 p.m. sharp and Devika had taken Keshav on her bike too. She also rides a bike, yeah! “The speed is better”, she says. Aman has called his parents to let them know he has gone out and that the key, is at Kamini auntie’s, ground floor.

And ever since they reached at Kabir _bhaiya’s_ house, sorry bungalow (boy he’s rich!), Karthik has never once left Aman’s side or his hand. The moment they had climbed off their bike, Karthik had taken his palm and dragged him inside.

“you’re going to love bhaiya’s parties. He’s the best at organizing them. Almost the whole college will be here.”

And Aman did not find it a lie. Immediately as he entered, the disco lights splayed across, old cliché Bollywood songs were playing, smoke and drinks (but no alcohol. “I can’t clean your puke in the morning.” Kabir’s strict orders), filled his senses. 

“but isn’t it a too rash?” Aman carefully asks.

Karthik smiles and holds his face, “we all need to be rash sometimes. We teenagers are meant to meant be fucking rash. But I promise, if you feel uncomfortable, we’ll leave, okay?”

Aman nods, and Karthik happily pecks him on the cheek.

“and Kabir bhaiya’s parties are never rash. He’s well aware we almost all are teens, so he’s strict at a few things.” Devika pipes in. 

“ab chal na Aman! Utna soch maat!”, Keshav also pep talks him. All fill into a laughter as they get dragged further to the inner house.

People are swaying to the music, cheering loud and hollering, and some people playing video games in the corner. Soon Kabir catches up with the four, “KARTHIK!” He at once cover him in a bear hug, and Karthik does too, well he’s also a hugger.

“how’s everything?”, Kabir one by one greets the rest three, “you’re glowing, Aman! Karthik’s keeping you happy I see.” Aman feels a little shy but he manages the best smile to put on.

“when did you come? now?”

“nahi bhaiya! We’re almost here for an hour!” Keshav answers.

“what? And I’m seeing you guys now?”, Kabir gapes, “no.. no… I don’t want my favourite juniors to roam just here and there in my party. Join us with the group.” Kabir leads them to a circled sofa in the main area. “they are planning to play some sort of truth and dare.” Kabir laughs, “the more people, the more fun!”

The four also follow suit. And they also find their loved seniors there. Alok, Joyita, Prakash, Sonam and Abhinav, their fourth year seniors are sitting.

“arey Karthik! Devika! How’re you doing?” Joyita is the first one to see them and immediately stands up to hug them as does everyone else.

Keshav and Aman feels a little awkward, and Keshav finally voices it, “you are all very good friends.” It comes out more as a wonder than a question. As everyone takes their seats in circle, the seniors laugh.

“Keshav, you see the Karthik today! He’s basically the baby to us when he first came to the college! And with him came Devika. They are our own siblings you see.”

“that’s true! They are the ones who helped us with our apartments and fees in the beginning.” Karthik says.

“and Karthik is this flamboyant only because of Alok bhaiya and Kabir bhaiya! They were literally his bodyguards. Agar Karthik ko kuch hua, toh tera jeena haram kar dunga!” Devika says mimicking a wrestler with bloated biceps and gathers a huge laughter.

“speaking of that,” Abhinav talks, “Aman how do you control Karthik. Don’t you get to point of almost murdering him?”

“every single day!” Aman says without any hesitation. Karthik along with each one pops into laugh. He just circles his hand around Aman’s waist more tight and snuggles at his neck, “but he’ll take me in no other way.”

“OH PLEASE STOP THE CHEESE NOW!”

The bottle spins on the table in between them, some other students has also joined them, every one has cold drinks in their paper cups.

“truth or dare?” one shouts at the other.

“truth!”

“okay, so! Period pains for three days straight or six months without sex or only veg food for a year?”

“what the heck, yaar! I don’t want any of that”, people laugh for without any reason but that what happens when you are high with happiness and with no stress of exams.

But in the middle Karthik and Aman has no qualms for others, they are lost in their own bubble cuddling and snuggling in each other………

…………..And with lust filled eyes. They give answers in the middle of the game when it’s their turn, but the rest is invested for each other.

So the next time when the bottle fell on Aman, Sonam dares him to choose dare, “what Aman! Be a fun and choose dare!”

“YESSSS!” everyone screams.

“okay then, dare!”, Aman shrugs up.

Sonam darkly smirks and rubs her palms, “kiss Karthik in the boldest way possible!”

Aman’s “WHAT?” goes unheard as everyone starts cheering, “OH YESS!”,

“AMAN! AMAN!”,

“KISS HIM!”

Its not like they will be the first one to kiss in this game today, others have done it too….. but their love for this couple is a little ‘ _zyada’!_

And Karthik doesn’t help him too, as he lowly purrs, “c’mon baby! Show me your best kiss.”

Aman once looks at Karthik, and the next moment he stands up shocking everyone. Only to stand in front of his boyfriend and climb on his laps to straddle him in between his thighs. To be honest Karthik also gets shocked a little, but he controls himself and smirks. He raises his own hands along Aman’s thighs and places them on his waist, while Aman takes his face within his palms and with one look, he smacks his lips on the others.

To say the place became quiet is an understatement. It is as if it became soundless or if vacuum where no sound wave can travel. Everyone become so engrossed into the two boys kissing, they lose track of time. With Karthik and Aman’s movement of lips in sync, the people around never found anything too hot to see live in action.

_Nothing ca be too hot as to see two boys kissing, LIVE!_

Aman feels Karthik’s warm tongue devouring his mouth as their lips clashed again and again. Until he becomes breathless and breaks apart. But kept his eyes so fixed on him he does not hear the holler around. People are hooting “HOT DAMN”, remarking “THE BEST KISS I HAVE SEEN” or “FUCK! I’M WET!”

Karthik in middle of all this stands up and helps Aman with him and turns to leave.

“where are you going?” Devika asks.

He grasps Aman’s hand and says, “for a drink” and drags Aman to the center floor. He does not wait to hear the teasing sounds.

_**Chaar din ki chaandni,_

_Yeh jawani fantasy_

_Urvashi, Urvashi_

_Take it easy Urvashi…………_

Aman and Karthik presses their body together, as they swayed their groove to this Bollywood classic. Their sweaty body, hands to waist creates a lull around them. Karthik sticks his nose in Aman’s neck and trails down his lips getting intoxicated with his smell.

“bring a drink, will you Karthik?” Aman asks. Karthik brings out his face and smiles, “anything for you baby!” Aman watches as Karthik heads towards the drinks table.

5 to 6 minutes later, Aman is feeling awkward in the middle of a highly energized dance floor. How much time will his boyfriend take just to bring two glass of Mountain Dew straight from the bottle. He tries to peep up from the crowd, but the height sometimes doesn’t help much, “but it’s cute, yaar!”, Karthik had said once, Aman falls into a little smile remembering that.

So he goes through the crowd, a guy is standing at the table. Aman asks him, “have you seen Karthik?”

“Karthik? Yeah! he was taking drinks from here. And then he followed Vishal in to that room.” The guy points at a room in the corner. Aman frowns. What is Karthik doing there?

“Thanks!”

“welcome, bro! by the way you two make a good couple.” The guy smiles.

Aman smiles too. It feels peace to get blessing and acceptance from others. He makes his way towards the room. A person is smoking leaning on the door. When Aman makes a beeline towards the door, the man eyes Aman and moves and enters the room. Aman feels so weird at that point.

So he just pushes the door to enter, and his eyes darts to the front. And his eyes goes wide as saucers, every thing felt numb, the clocks stops ticking.

Because there stands Karthik, his both hands holding two drinks, hunched over, lips smashed on another guy’s lips!


	13. Not always a bed of roses!

“Aman…. AMAN!! Wait, please wait a minute…..”, Karthik is running after him as Aman makes his way through the crowd. People throw them glances, questioning and weird. _What’s wrong with them?_ Everyone have this frown on their face.

From the couch where they were sitting, Keshav see them first. He quickly stands up and then the other’s notice how Karthik is shouting after Aman.

“Aman?” Keshav starts walking towards the couple.

Karthik in the meanwhile grabs Aman’s arm, “Aman please wait a bit, it’s not what you saw---------”

Aman instantly turns round and tightly slaps across his face, so much Karthik’s face snaps to the side, Keshav stops midway, and everyone stick to their place, pin drop silent.

“DON’T FUCKING TALK TO ME EVER AGAIN! We did not become lovers just so you can stick your tongue down someone else’s throat!” Aman blasts off. “fuck you, Karthik Singh. FUCK YOU!”

And Aman walks out. Keshav too quickly catches up with him, “Aman, wait for me!” and exits.

Keshav finds Aman at the main road, stopping a taxi. He follows him into the taxi as Aman says their apartment address.

“what happened, Aman?” he asks carefully.

“not now, Keshav, not now.” His voice is dangerously low. And Keshav somewhat feared to question him again. Everything I deathly silent around, Keshav can literally hear the angry puffs of breathe, Aman is leaving. The taxi honking and the frequent swishes of cars passing by them. It was almost 10:30 when they reached their apartment.

It is dark, and Aman immediately climbed up the stairs to their home, unlocked with his key to their apartment. And Keshav too walks behind him to his room. 

And the time comes.

Aman immediately falls on Keshav for a support, an emotional support, while crying like a broken dam. Everything is coherent, the situation, Aman’s words, Keshav’s actions, everything is out of place. Keshav gently makes him sit on the bed, himself too and hugs him as tight he can, “everything’s gonna be alright, Aman!” he whispers softly again and again and again. He rocks his body along with Aman, chanting the words until it becomes like a mantra in the room.

“Nothing’s going to be alright!”, Aman cries up more, eyes becoming red, his nose welling up.

“no.. no… it’ll be alright”

“no Keshav, Karthik’s no more in my life!”

Keshav perks up, “why? What happened Aman? If you’re not going to tell me, then how can I say things”. Keshav squishes his cousin’s face in his palms. And he sees more tears, like pearls, building up in his eyes.

“Kar—Karthik!! He… he.. cheated on me. He was kissing some…” Aman cannot even finish what he’s saying.

“oh Aman!”, Keshav immediately pulls him more closer and again starts rocking back and forth.

“he was there in the room with that guy”, Aman says so bitterly, his voice is even hard to hear for Keshav, “kissing him like no tomorrow. He didn’t even realise I entered the room. He was so fucking engrossed in that swine.” Aman rants on, “after all these months together, Karthik paid me back with this?” and more than spitting venom, he breaks down even more. And then a sudden realization hits him. Like a train. Like tons of brick coming crashing over his head.

He stops crying and looks up at Keshav in the eyes, “Keshav!”, Aman sniffles, “I love Karthik!”

Keshav frowns, “obviously you love Karthik, Aman!”

“NO! Keshav, I _love_ love him.”

“what’re you saying Aman?”

“I just fucking realized it Keshav!” Aman’s voice becomes weak, “all these past months I was living a fantasy. Giving in the way of teenagers, just savoring the taste of first love. But never getting how much I have fallen for Karthik!”

He enjoyed, ran around having fun with Karthik, going on dates, kissing each other like maniacs, he was all doing it without even knowing it. It was the first time he explored his sexuality. Even his first time, he did it out of pure passion and the curiosity of experimenting and throes of the fire of young love. Their first time saying ‘I love you’ was another warm, heart beating, blushes and giggles moment. Yes he had been in love with Karthik all along, but now he realizes, _his love for Karthik is very reason of his life. How Karthik is so important and essential like oxygen, his touch to keep him alive, his mere presence to make him live on. His love for Karthik is a matter of his life and death._

_And it took a heart break to know how his heart is full of love for that person._

“I’ll die without him, Keshav. I _need_ his love. I want him to kiss me, not others.” And when you let go of a tightly bound thing, the way it gushes out, like that Aman falls into Keshav’s embrace crying his bleeding heart out.

Love, you may find it simple. You may be waiting for that person and someday they come in to your life like a storm. Maybe you also start a beautiful romance with them. But what important is that your talking to inner selves and self-realization about your love of your life. **In time**.

Because when a simple miscalculation in timing made Karthik to open his locker and smash it into Aman’s face and thereby they started their journey together, then also this simple timing can lead Aman to a complex realization about his love in life.

And sometimes, timing can be a bitch! And realizations too.

Because what Aman and Keshav have not realized by then is their parents are in their apartment. And that timing can lead his father, Shankar Tripathi to the kitchen to drink a glass of water and maybe hear his son’s conversation with his cousin unbeknown to them.

So makes his presence known and steps through the door.

“Aman!” the two bothers immediately looks up. Both of their eyes grow comically, but with fear and anxious.

“papa?”

“ _tauji_?”

The father’s face is so expressionless, deathly calm, “Aman? Who were you talking about?” he steps towards his son slowly. “who’s this Karthik?”

Both the boys feels cold water splashed down their spine, “papa? Did you…did you hear u-us?”, Aman fumbles with his words and the boys grip each other’s hands.

“ _maine pucha ki yeh Karthik kaun hain_?” Shankar ji slightly raised his voice as he stands in front of his fear-stricken son.

And suddenly then he clutches his collar and screams, “WHO IS THIS KARTHIK?”

“ _TAUJI…. Tauji_ …”, Keshav tries to break them apart. “Keshav, you don’t come in this!” he said in one STERN voice.

“ _do—dost hain_ , papa! Just a friend.” Aman so shakes up in front of his father, he has not that greater height like his father nor that size.

“and it’s a boy! and you love him? What did I just hear, AMAN?” He throws him to the floor.

Aman can not bring himself answer that question. Neither he can deny his love, nor he can tell it to his father. He curls up into a ball on the floor, Keshav at once goes beside him, holding him up.

“such a shame! How can you love a boy? HOW AMAN?”

Aman sobs hard, “I’m sorry papa! But this is who I am. I am not attracted to girls—” .

“Shut up!”, Shankar Tripathi screams.

At the moment, Sunaina Tripathi comes in from the other room, “ _kya hua? Itna shor kyun macha rahe ho_?” she enters to see Aman on the floor, face red with crying and Keshav holding him up, “arrey, what happened _beta?”_

Shankar ji speaks up, “our son! He brings such shame to the family! _Pure paarivar ke mu kaala kar diya_?”

“what are you saying?”

“ask this bastard! He’s in love, and that too with a boy!”

His mother slaps her mouth, “what? What’s your father saying, Guddu?”, she widens her eyes and mouth so much, its comical to be honest.

Aman chooses to stay silent this time.

And in between these drastic hollering and screaming, “ _bohut karli Delhi mein padhai_! No need to stay in Delhi now. You come to these big cities and try out new fashions. Enough now.”

Aman is not liking where the words are going. “we’ll all go back Allahabad tomorrow. Find a college there and study. The more you will stay here, the more the problem.”

“but papa----” , Aman tries to speak in sobs.

But his father shuts him up, “what I said is final. Pack the immediate necessary things tonight and we’ll take the first train to Allahabad tomorrow morning. I will come back later and take the rest of the things……”

Aman falls back into his seat. The rest of the words daze in his ears as drops of tears continue spilling from his black orbs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was it okay?


	14. Other Face of the Story

Karthik stood there, his face thrashed to one side, his hand immediately going to rub the burn of the slap that was inflicted upon. In that sudden pin-drop silent room, all he could hear, was the walking away of Aman and soon Keshav after him.

His eyes went glossy and he saw the love of his life walking out of the room. His vision was then covered by Devika. She had this look on her face that he couldn’t comprehend.

“what the hell did Aman just say, Karthik?”, she asked icily.

“Devi—” , Karthik _tried_ to continue but was cut off, when his face was again thrashed to the side. And fuck this hurt even more. Guys! Take notes, a girl’s slap hurts more. It’s science, I don’t make the rules.

Karthik went exasperated, “ _ab tu kyun maar rahi hain_?”, his eyes went wide with surprise.

“oh fuck!”, Devika huffed out, took Karthik’s hand and dragged him to the parking outside the bungalow. They stood in front of their parked bike.

“why the fuck Aman said that Karthik?”, Devika angrily asked. “you cheated on him?”

“WHAT?! NO----”

“Then why in god’s name he accused you KISSING someone else?” she gestured dramatically.

“mujhe bolne degi? Let me speak and stop shouting!”, he pacified.

“so you didn’t kiss whoever the fucking it was?”.

“there was a kiss!”, Devika made this ‘are you crazy’ questioning face to him with a super scrunched face, so Karthik at once blanched out, “no.. no… I didn’t kiss him. HE kissed me. I swear! God’s honest truth!” Karthik even went to touch his Adam’s Apple.

“what the actual fuck are you saying Karthik?”

“see! What happened is that I went to bring drinks for Aman. There was this boy standing and told me he has something to show me and to follow him into a room. I did and the next thing I knew he was kissing me and the fuck Aman saw that.”

“you just followed him into the room? Ever heard of the word ‘to question’?” Devika facepalms, “the hell will happen t you Karthik? _Yeh zaleem duniya kaccha kha jayigi tujhe_.” 

“he didn’t look that suspicious, yaar! And I didn’t kiss him, hell I didn’t even respond back. I love Aman, Devi. Why would I kiss someone else whom I don’t even know the name!”

“you don’t know who it was?”

“NOOOO!!!!”

“tell this to Aman.” Devika said angrily, “Have you even tried to contact him after this?”

Karthik rolled his eyes, “ _time diya tune_? Moreover you gave another slap for free.”

She instantly pointed her fingers in his face, “you deserve i _t, saale_!”

.

Now Karthik sits in the room throwing texts after texts and missed calls to Aman. He is dying out of patience cause ‘patience’ and ‘Karthik Singh’, these two don’t go together in the same sentence.

“I should just go to his apartment and talk to him directly!”

“ _paagal hain kya_?” Devika sighs. “His parents are there, and it’s already 12:30. Go there tomorrow!” 

So Karthik waits the most agonizing waiting of his life. And when you don’t do anything, your brain decides to pop out the most irrelevant and frustrating of all thoughts.

Karthik’s life has been one hell of a ride. He has always known he’s gay and over the times he has known how to get comfortable in that skin. Even against his father. His father was the only one close to him when he was going through all this phase alone as his mother was no more with them. But his father turned out to be the most brutal monster, who had beaten up with a thick stick and threw him out of the house. Karthik finds it so ironic that it was also because of a kiss.

His father had seen him kissing another guy in the alley.

Ha! That’s a memory of another time. But Aman? God, this guy had come to his life like a storm and swept of his feet. From the beginning, Karthik was as sure as the eggs is eggs he is in love with the nerdy, smol bean the moment he saw him. It just grew into more commitment, and security with time. And what? He’ll leave this beautiful thing, his chance to a true lifetime love for nothing? Hell no! Aman brings out the passion out him that no one can. He confides himself in Aman, he finds and rests his true self in Aman.

His whole life surrounds keeping Aman in the center. His future plans, graduation-job-settlement-family-growing old, all centered around Aman.

His life is Aman.

Karthik directly sits straight, his thoughts crashing like waves.

What his life will become if he let’s go Aman that easily? He shivers at the thought. It will become a life without a soul, a fruit without the seed of hope, a simple ideology governed by the complex rules of loneliness.

When his center of thinking of his life has become Aman, without Aman as its center, it will die. As the planets will if there is no sun.

He will die without Aman.

Maybe not physically, but every other way possible. And what’s the point in living life when there is no passion. So perhaps Karthik will kill himself then, rather to live and be trapped in a soulless body.

No… no…. no….! he can’t let that happen. He will go to his apartment the first thing in the morning, damn the consequences.

And so he does. He runs up to the third floor………… but only to see a big lock hanging outside.

“where have they gone this early?” Karthik mumbles. He again calls Aman. Ut as usual it goes to voice mail.

Kamini aunty! Right? She’s the land lady. Obviously she’ll know. He descends the stairs to the ground floor and rings the bell.

After the second ring the land lady opens, “aarey Karthik beta? You’re early this morning?”

“aunty, where is Aman?”, Karthik skips the usual _namaste._ , “ his apartment is locked.”

“oh Aman? Beta he went back to Allahabad with his parents this morning.” She informs.

Karthik hears it stunned, “Allahabad? This morning?”

“yeah, they took the first train, I think!”

“and when will they return? Have he said anything?”

“it was his father, Shankar ji who talked with me. And it seemed like they’re not coming back again!”

Karthik shrieks, “what?! What are you saying aunty?” absolute shock adorned his face.

Kamini auntie frowns, “why Karthik, you don’t know? You are his friend. In fact Shankar ji paid all the rents. Though he said he’ll come back within weeks to gather the rest of the stuff they have left.” 

Karthik stands there dumbstruck.

“it was so sudden Karthik, but the father was so hell bent to leave! Even Keshav went with them too!”

“Keshav too?”

“yes!”

Karthik slaps his palms to his mouth. Then how’s he going to contact Aman. He’s not picking up his phone. More chance Keshav will not too. Though he dials his number also. But hell it even came as ‘this number does not exist’.

What the fuck now!

Karthik tries to calm himself, “okay—okay aunty!” and he leaves at once.

“what will you do now?”, Devika asks from the couch. Karthik is moving from here and there out of utter frustration.

“what else? I will go to Allahabad now. Obviously!”, Karthik actually cannot believe that Aman along with Keshav decided to just leave Delhi for this. They could have sorted this out, clear the problem. So does that mean Aman has no trust in him? “and win him back!”

Devika rolls his eyes, “ _tujhe pata hain na ki Allahabad itna sa jagah nahi hain_? It’s a big place. Where will you find him?”

“that I’ll find him Devika! I remember Aman once saying the name of the place. And I will go there.”

Devika spots a strong conviction in his voice. And so she cannot actually bring herself to stop him.

“ _Sachha ishq hi kiya hain_ Devika! And I’ll fight tooth and nail for it. Make Aman understand that this guy can bring the whole world to him and even battle the whole world for him.” He stands with his chest puffed, like Julius Caesar in front of his Rome. 

Devika rolls her eyes. Her best friend will never stop being dramatic even at crisis. She proceeds to buy him a ticket to Allahabad online. Because she knows, this is the job she has to do. Her friend is an utter idiot to do it.


	15. Journey Begins!

Have you ever been to _Prayagraj_? I mean, Allahabad. Or how many of you are from the land of ‘prayag’ or confluence of the three great mighty river of India: the Ganga, the Sarasvati and the Yamuna! Considered as one of the holiest place in India for the Hindus as it hold a part of the most attractive pilgrimage site because of the ganga, Allahabad is actually a great example of the unity of religion and people as well as its diversity in them, in India.

For it was, as many of you may know, called as ‘Illahabad’. It being the capital of Mughal Empire under Jahangir, and according to ‘Akbarnama’, Mughal Emperor Akbar laid to the foundation of Illahabad.

From its street food to continental, human habitats to culture, this city holds a dear place in the heart of India.

And only one person throughout the whole city, holds the heart of our Karthik! Cheesy, right? But it is what it is.

And soon he find himself lost in the millions of people swimming by him. HE. IS. DEVASTATED! _But for Aman._

It took him almost seven days to reach Aman’s house around Allahabad city. Because according to the phone directory, the city has around eighteen ‘Shankar Tripathi’s. Thank god, most of them are out of the places, Aman had once mentioned where he stayed, but the rest, he had to go almost to every house to check.

It would have been easier, if Aman’s or Keshav’s phone is working. With Alok bhaiya’s help, who is a computer student and moreover whose father is a police in Delhi, he would have tracked their number. But fate has always wanted to dance with Karthik.

And on the fourteenth try, he has found one Shankar Tripathi that matched his description quiet well. Most importantly he is a scientist. Aman’s father is a scientist in botany and very well known in the city, well respected, and loved. So Karthik takes the chance.

“hello, is anyone home?”, Karthik pushes open the entrance door to a huge courtyard of the house.

.

“papa? Why’re you not even trying to understand?” Aman is so frustrated over this now.

Seven days. Seven fucking days. And he is not able to contact Karthik once. His as well as Keshav’s phone are being snatched away. But then it strikes. _Why will he contact Karthik? He must be happy with his new lover. New? The guy could be his only love since ages. He was just a time-pass._ And then comes the uncontrolled broken barrage of tears, with only crying hugging Keshav at best.

His papa, as expected, has not accepted his son has fallen in love.

“ _humare paarivaar mein kabhu love marriage nahi hua hain. Ab bhi nahi hoga_!” his father had said when he tried to make his father understand the first night they had come home.

“but papa? Who’s talking about marriage?”, Aman balks.

“don’t you think I don’t know! You little romance will grow into marriage.” He wiggled his fingers. “You will then ask to get married to him.” Then it stroke his father, “and he’s a boy. HOW IN GOD’S NAME CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH A BOY?”

Aman just had screamed out, “just like you had fallen in love with Rani Asthana.”

And he had stood up, left the dinner midway and ran to his room. In the distance he could hear his father’s confused growl, “how did he know about her?”

Aman wanted to shout, “secret letters”, but his hormones were taking on him so rushed to his room.

“go away!”, he shouted at Keshav and Goggle who wanted to come inside.

The ‘issue’ again rose two days later.

“you can’t control it papa, when you fall in love. It just happens. How can I convince my brain not to fall in love?”

He turns to his mother, “I love Karthik so much, mummy! Yes he’s a boy, but what can I do? You know the first time I actually held Karthik’s hand, there was these explosions of dopamine throughout my body.”

“dopamine?” his mother frowned.

Shankar ji interfered, “Sunaina, it’s a thing in our body---”

“it’s a compound of our body, mummy.”, Aman makes teary eyes, “your hypothalamus secrete it when your heart start to beat for another!”

“but you have fallen in love with a boy!”, Shankar ji again came back to his original point.

Aman huffed out for the 2654879th time that evening too, “you’re a scientist papa! You tell me how can I make my hypothalamus understand that Karthik is also a boy and me too. And no one should have a care about it.”

That night also, Aman spilled tears to Keshav, “why Keshav? why am I fighting for Karthik? It’s not like he’s going to come back to me. He’s not going to come all the way to Allahabad, and take me back to Delhi. Then why, Keshav?”

“maybe he’s going to come. It’s just fate calling you!”, Keshav hugged him tight and fell back to sleep together. At the deep night Goggle had come to his room to cover the brothers with the blankets. She felt so much pity for his brother, to have an unachieved, unaccepted love.

It was then, something caught her sight under the moonlight coming from the window. Under Aman’s pillow. A photograph of two boys. Smiling like idiots. One of them was her brother, who was possessively held by another boy. _So he must be Karthik!_

Goggle smiled at the picture, they look so dorky and so in love. 


	16. Candid

“Is anyone home”, Karthik pushes open the door to the house courtyard. It is a big one with household equipment sand machines kept spread . At one corner the various _aachars,_ dry fruits and grains kept in sunlight. There are small wooden cots and tools also present. Typical Indian household!

On the said tools two figures are sitting, Karthik sees, one girl another a boy, who Karthik finds very familiar. The boy also has his eyes wide as possible gaping at him.

Then everything comes clear to Karthik’s brain and eyes.

“KESHAV?!”, he speeds towards him only to be caught by Keshav who has stood up in time. He has atlast found the house.

“KARTHIK?! How are you here?”, Keshav truly wonders, as he looks up to see his friend in the face.

“so you’re Karthik?”, he hears another voice, the female voice beside them. A fair girl, with cheeks shiny and red, wearing a salwar suit. But she is wearing sunglasses.

“Hi, I’m Rajini, but everyone calls me Goggle.” Karthik smiles and is about to greet back when he hears another voice from inside the house, “Keshav? who’s it? Who’s at the door?”

Suddenly something clicks in Goggle, as she instantly tucks Karthik’s hand and whispers, “you’re name is not ‘Karthik’ here, say its…..um… Karan! Okay?”

“But Why?”, both the boys ask simultaneously. Goggle gives a sharp glare, “because I told it so!”

They gulp. “just go with my flow, okay?” both nodded in unison. Sisters can be scary whenever they want.

The voice, as Karthik find out, belongs to Chaman _chacha._ “Keshav! Goggle! Kaun hain? Someone was calling, right?” , he comes to the courtyard.

“ha papa!”, Goggle interferes, as she presents Karthik to her father, “this is Karan.”

Chaman Tripathi throws skeptical look at the new boy, “yes! What do you want?”. And Karthik instantly knows he has to break the skeptical look. So he dives at once to Chaman’s feet, “namaste, uncle!” and gives the fullest grin he can show.

The uncle balks slightly “okay, okay! Beta jeete raho. But you did not say why are you here. I haven’t seen you before.”

Goggle cuts in, “oh, papaji! Obviously we haven’t seen him before, none of us have”. She eyes Keshav deathly as he was going to say something, “he’s a tourist here in Allahabad. He was roaming around and needed some water. He saw our home with no shop nearby, so he came here.” She smiles pleasantly, more like to make her lie believable.

“yes..yes..”, Karthik cuts in, “can I have some water. Its so sunny and I’m absolutely lost in the city”, he make a kicked-puppy face.

“ohho! Its bad!” Chaman clicks his tongue, “wait, I’m calling in some water and snacks. After all our guest is our god. _Atithi devo bhava! Bhabi!”_ he goes towards the kitchen, where his _bhabi_ and his wife, is mostly likely to be.

“ _ab bolegi? Kyun kiya aisa_?” Keshav points at her sister when he sees his father fully disappear. Which she returns with a smack!

“ _abe gaadhe_! For whom all the problems are going on this days, huh?, she fingers at Karthik, “for him!”

“what did I do?”, Karthik gasps, “I just came now.”

“you did everything mister!” she looks at Keshav, “and if others get to know he’s THE Karthik, he’ll throw him out now.”

“haan… you said it right!”, Keshav reflects.

“but tell me what has happened? Why will they throw me out?”, so the siblings tell everything in very short before their parents can come.

“haaw! Toh this is the case?”, Karthik slaps his mouth, “I thought Aman came here because he’s angry with me--”

“hell he’s angry with you obviously. But that’s not the reason why we came back.”

“that means Aman’s here right?”, Karthik’s eyes sparkle at the thought, “let me go to him!”

“not now, Karthik!” Goggle holds him back, “first face the Tripathi family. Only then you can overcome the battle.”

This Tripathi family is one big fat Indian family. That Karthik has understood, the moment Sunaina ji along with her sister-in-law, Champa came to him with jar of water and plate full of kachori and sweet. Along with the mother, the uncle-aunt, the father Shankar Tripathi also had joined them.

“ _agar apna naam bolta na, to kachori nahi, laath khane ko milta_!”, Goggle had made sure to pass this information in the middle of his conversation with this crazy family.

Crazy? The word is an understatement for this wild, erratic, nothing-to-hide, embarrassing family. Karthik decides on these adjectives. But.

But there is a warmth. A heart touching thing that makes the family a _family._ In between the bickering there are light teasing between the siblings but a fun in them and no one wants it to stop, the poking from the elder sister-in-law to her younger, but she needs Champa’s help to temper the _dal_ and other household works. This is how a family goes on. Karthik wonders as the scenes unfold in front of him.

He never got that taste of _having_ a family. His mother died when he was just a kid, and his father a drunken blacksmith that threw him out of the house. Karthik yearns that family love; of having a parental love, siblings, uncle and aunt along with the love of his spouse…… his husband………. his Aman.

Aman?!

Then it suddenly hit Karthik. Right! No one of Aman’s family has seen him before except Keshav and Goggle in the photo. No one knows he’s The Karthik Singh, their son loves.

And an idea evokes in him….

“ _waise beta_? How did you reach our neighbourhood? It’s not like there is any tourist spot near our house?” Chachi asks. She is serving more sweets to Karthik and he is more than happy to eat.

“ _kya bolu chachi_! I came here with a big group of tourists!”, Karthik answers quite mouthful. He glances once at where the siblings are sitting, nervously. HE HAS TO LIE, and he is being amazingly encouraged by the two of them, silently, “these are independent tour groups, they’ll just give you a hotel and directions to visiting spots.”

Karthik stops to see if everyone is buying the story………… and they are! So he continues, “I was touring with them, but on the third day I detached with them, and I was left in the bathroom stall of a local _dhaba_. When I came out, they were all gone and……”

“what? How can you get separated?” there is a collective question. “Did you not try to contact them?”

Karthik fakes a pout and acts like he droops down, “they are independent groups. They take no liability! And from that day I am roaming around here.”

He peeks in to see all of them have a sympathetic frown on their face. It’s almost working. So he gives in more.

“and I don’t have enough money even to stay in hotels. I invested maximum of the amount with the group. But it all went to a gutter. I called my family too, they will send money, via internet, but it’ll also take time. _Woh Net aur Tower jamming chal raha hain waha_. Every connection is jammed.” Karthik appears so devastated, “ab where will I stay? Its not that every hotel will allow a bachelor guy like me to stay, and other’s are so expensive. I am having so much problem with food and living! _Ticket kharid ne ki paise bhi nahi hain, phone mein battery bhi nahi_!”

“he’s so over-dramatic Keshav!”, Goggle mummers to her brother.

Keshav just smirks, “you haven’t even seen the half of it!”

Karthik doesn’t want to say “let me stay here” so blatantly just yet. He creates enough scopes, emotional acts to gain pity first. He ears some too, like from Sunaina, “aah Karan! You’re having such a bad time”, she had chuckled.

But no one going to the point to actually say, “okay then, stay here for a few days!”. He needs to here it so that he can be close to Aman.

Speaking of Aman, where the hell is he? He has met everyone, but not him! where is the guy for whom he has to lie like a fountain?

So the next time he subtly mentions that it will take a long time for the money his family will send to reach him, Keshav takes the baton to say the unsaid, “then stay here with for a few days until you get the money!”

While Goggle lowers down her face to hide her small escaped laughs, Karthik spins his head to Keshav and throw gallons of ‘thank you, bhai, thank you so much!’ with his eyes. He does not give any scope for other members to say anything before he says, “Really? You will let me? You just gifted me heaven.”

He instantly jumps to hug Keshav saying incessant dramatic ‘thank you s’, but he does leave a sincere “thank you bhai” when he hugs him, near his eyes.

There is this awkward moment now prevailing among the family, where they can’t either let an unknown but stay, neither can say him to leave. One, they know the guy is going through difficulty and humanity pricks human in the most unjustified of times.

And Keshav here already has announced ‘Karan’ would be staying here, and he looks so relived!

_So why not? The guy looks decent, there might be no problem.”_

_“_ so problem solved, Karan! Stay with us a few days until everything?”, Sunaina ji quips in.

“yeah?”. there is this same exclamation coming from two different people. Same with the underlying question, “you’re letting him or me(in one case) stay here?”. Same with the underlying disbelief.

But in two different tones.

In case of Karthik, it’s more like, oh my god! Aman’s mom is letting me stay here. By the way, where is Aman?

And for Shankar Tripathi, it’s like how can you let an unknown person stay in our home, Sunaina ji?

In the meantime, Chaman also interrupts, “you’ll like it here, Karan! Keshav and Goggle is going to be there. You’re like of the same age, Aman’s also here…”

The moment Karthik hears Aman’s name he straighten ups. No! I mean in posture. Not in orientation. Hell if Karthik is not going to stay as the gayest person ever (we stan a confident gay).

“where’s Aman?”, he sounds so eager, so much so, Goggle hits him with her elbow. But Keshav quickly interjects, “he must be sleeping but he should have ben awake by now. You know he stays really late in night these days, so we let him sleep late in the morning.” He tries to pass the information, subtly.

Karthik frowns, “really, why?”.

Before his friend can answer, as if on cue someone calls out, “Keshav, where are you?”

A voice, Aman’s voice. They all see Aman coming down the stairs in Bermuda pants and oversized tee, unkempt hair.

Karthik’s SEVEN days of fastening of not seeing his lover once, will get broken by this delicious and cuddly view, he never had thought. Aman has still not seen him, cause he is hidden by the family sitting in a semi-circle around him. so he waits for his lover to see him. This will be fun!

Keshav at once springs to Aman, “oh Aman! _Tu uth gaya_? Look who has come!”

Aman frowns. What’s up with his brother this morning? Why is he dragging him? He’s looking very hyper!

“Meet Karan.” his brother makes him stand. In front of a person. He looks up to see.

His eyes goes wide. As he sees a smirking lips on his very familiar face.

“KAR--!”

“KARAN! He’s Karan!”, Goggle shrieks from her place.

Aman frowns, “what! He’s---”, Keshav tugs his hand this time, while Karthik looks at him as innocent as ever, “Aman, meet Karan. Karan…um…. Karan Rathod!”

“Rathod?!” Aman pops his eyes and purses his lips impressively, “ _accha?_ ” he looks straight into Karthik’s eyes that clearly says _what the fuck is going on?_

“yes”, Keshav continues, “he’s a tourist from Rajasthan..”

“RAJASTHAN!”, Aman exasperatedly asks.

“yes, Rajasthan. Now he’ll stay with us a few day until he’s to go back home.”

“but when did he say he came Rajasthan?”, Champa bites her lips. Goggle pokes her, “ _arey ma, tum jab kitchen me thi_ , then he told me and Keshav?”

“so this is how it is?” Aman says, somewhat bitterly, “then welcome to our home, Karan.” He extends his hands. But with his signature death glare. Karthik smirks, and takes his hand ever so gently and takes the knuckles near his lips, “you’re welcome Aman.” He pecks the back of Aman’s hand and throws a wink at once.

Aman felt like electricity passed his body and immediately takes out his hand out of his grip, he glares at Karthik, “don’t talk to me.” He says as lowly as possible, “go back to your 2 rupee boyfriend in Delhi.”

Thank god Karthik has his back to the family, the others in the distance are not able to see what went on between the three.

Aman turned around at leaves for the stairs to his room without looking back once at Karthik.

Keshav rubs Karthik’s arm, “he just needs to have you completely alone,” he whispers, “then you shall see his breakdown.”

Karthik stares on at the room Aman went through.


	17. Rooftop Revelations

Karthik tells Keshav and Goggle everything that created the misunderstanding. Everything that happened in the party, what Aman saw. Though he doesn’t know who the guy is, he has set Devika, back in Delhi, to look into the matter.

“yaar, Aman isn’t even looking at me in the face. What will I do?”, he whines to Keshav. “I just want to talk with him _. baas ekbaar_!”

“ _chaal thik hain_.”, Keshav agrees, “at first I’s also confused why you kissed that other guy..”

“exactly Keshav. why would I kiss him? It’s Aman who I love bro.”

Goggle who is sitting beside them burst out cooing, “aww! Kitna sweet ho tum dono!”(Goggle represents the whole fandom right now)

“stay free near at the afternoon, I’ll bring Aman to the roof…….”

“Keshav, why’re you suddenly taking me to the store room?”, Aman asks as his brother almost drags with him to the place.

Keshav speaks no word, he only pushes Aman into the room. And when Aman stops himself from falling down at the sudden push, he sees Keshav closing the door from outside. His eyes widen, “Keshav?! why did you close the door?”

“Aman!” The voice resonates through the small room into Aman’s ears. Aman stops banging the door, as something, calm and serene like a lullaby, overtakes his senses. He practically drops down and steps a little back.

_Karthik._

Who can it be else?

“Aman? How are you?”. Seven days of pent up frustration, anxiety, sadness; all breaks today. But Aman keeps silent, not even turning back to look at Karthik.

“I’m sorry, Aman!”

“stop talking, Karthik!”, Aman’s voice is harsh, but that does not stop Karthik from standing right behind him.

“listen to me, Aman. It was not what you saw.”

“yet I saw you kissing someone who is not me.” Karthik’s heart wrenches at the sadness of Aman’s voice. So it’s not about jealousy or anger speaking. Its’s insecurity!

And insecurity is a bitch thing.

So Karthik engulfs Aman into a back hug, very much ignoring the fact how Aman immediately crashed into his chest. But how can he ignore the soft sobs coming from the smaller boy.

Karthik snuggles his nose into Aman’s neck just like he always does, “I was not kissing him Aman. I don’t even know him. It was him who kissed me completely out of the blue. That’s when you entered. And you saw what you thought.”

Karthik spins Aman in his arms, the dark orbs tear stricken, the cheeks red. He takes Aman’s face in his hand, “ it’s only you Aman, whom I only and truly love. And I would kiss you and no one else.”

He pecks on Aman’s nose, “these past few days were the worst days of my life, baby. But it did make me realise how important you’re for me, not only my past and present but my future the most. It’s dark without you.” _Just like the planets if there is no Sun._

Aman stares deep into the other’s eyes, “I love you too, Karthik.”

His lover smiles, “I know babu, I know.” He drops another kiss to his one cheek.

“no Karthik, this time it’s different!”, Aman sniffles, “I mean what I say. Without you-----”

“shhh! Aman, what’s done is done”, he coos, “I know you mean it, show it to me. Words alone can’t suffice.”

Aman spends no time in showing it. His hands tightly holds onto Karthik’s chest as he presses his lips on Karthik. His lips fitting right into the grooves of the other. The sensation is only on their lips and they forget the entire existence. Chapped yet soft lips touching, sucking onto each other, tongues exploring the hot cavern of moist in the insides.

It’s not just a kiss. It’s a kiss of a lifetime promise through good and bad, through joy and sadness, through sickness and health.

They broke apart, because their body needs oxygen, they need to breathe. They rest their forehead together and stands there for sometime breathing in each other’s presence.

“I needed it so much Aman. Please don’t ever leave me again”, Karthik slips down to his knees, and presses his face and arms around his lover’s waist. The moment is so vulnerable, few drops of tears streaks down Karthik’s ever-confident eyes. “these seven days, I was so exhausted. But the sheer want of wanting to see you again kept me going on. You understand it Aman?”

Karthik looks up to see Aman in the eyes, “you’re my driving force.”

Aman sniffles out more. He too slips down, his legs turning jelly from the weakness, “as you’re mine Karthik! I never got to know how much I love you, until I almost lost you.” he touches his forehead with his, it’s their act of comfort, “and I can’t loose you again. I can’t see you be with someone else, kiss someone else, touch someone else, snuggle your nose to someone else, show your goofiness to someone else, drink Horlicks from someone else—”

Both fall into a small laugh, “possessive much, Aman?!”

“ _sirf tere liye, saale_!”

.

“from now you’ll go to the Allahabad college, Aman.”

The family is having breakfast in the courtyard, Karthik is also here, when Shankar Tripathi says it, “you’ll cancel your name from Delhi college and come here.”

Aman stops midway eating, “what’re you saying papa?” his eyes widens, “I just had my mid semester there papa! Which college will take in the middle of the year?”

Shankar ji keeps calms, “the Dean there is my friend, he can manage you in. AND NO MORE EXCUSES!”

“not excuses, papa. I will only go to my previous college. I will go back to Delhi.”

“I said what I said Aman!”, his father raised his voice. Chaman immediately telling his elder brother to keep calm, but to vain.

“nahi papa! I can’t always listen to whatever you say!”

“don’t you think I don’t know why you want to go back? It’s for that boy, that Karthik!”

Whatever Aman was going to say, dies down in his throat. His cousins tightens their lips to hide their laughs. A deep blush blooms in his face.

Because the very Delhi boy, is sitting right in front of him, in between his own family, daring to flash his signature smirk at him. Aman turns away from his eye contact.

“you want to go back to him. I know that. And now you’re willing to go against your parents just for that boy?”, his father sighs painfully.

His mother stands up to console the situation, “what are you guys up to? Have the breakfast now”

“ _Nahi Sunaina ji_ ……..”

Aman was having enough of this, so he stands up from the food.

Other drastic decisions are also taken, but with full exhaustion, this continued disapprovals, with Karthik present there, it’s becoming suffocating there. He thought, if Karthik will be there, he will be stronger, but Aman fighting with his own father over the person he loves is becoming too much.

So he leaves the courtyard, and bolts to his room in the middle of the chaos.

.

“ _kaun hai yeh Kusum, Aman_?”

“I don’t know, _hogi koi woh_!”

“isn’t she Sharma ji’s daughter _, jo tau ji ke dost hain_?”

“but Goggle, he’s only 19!”

“ _ha toh tu jaake, tau ji ko samjha na_ , Keshav.”

Karthik is lying with his head on Aman’s lap, Goggle is sitting in front of them on the bed, while Keshav is on the chair. They are in Aman’s room, with the doors locked, having their own meetings on the recent development of situations. That freaked everyone.

Apparently, during the breakfast, after Aman got up from the table, Shankar ji then are there decided, the Tripathi will arrange a _roka_ with their age old friends, the Sharmas, with their daughter Kusum and their Aman. In this way Aman will be bound in an arrange marriage.

“but our boy is only 19!”, Sunaina had said.

“so what, I was only 22 when I got married, you were 17.” Shankar ji responded, “its not like we’re marrying them now. Just the words are to be finalized. He will pass all his studies and then at once get married. He will already be 25 by then.”

“but _bhaiya_ , Sharma ji? What will he say”, Chaman asked.

“don’t think about that. Because the other day he only talked about children being married together. It’ll be good that way. _Waise bhi humare ghar mein sabhi 25 se pehele shaadi kar lete hain. Tera toh bhi hua tha Chama_!”

“ _ha_ — _han bhaiyan_!” Chaman lowered his head, somewhere he isn’t liking it. After all Aman is still young and times are changing.

“so then, we shall call the Sharma’s tomorrow. Its fixed!”

Karthik was deathly fixed after this. His Aman being engaged to someone else, THAT’S THE MOST TERRIBLLE THING THAT CAN HAPPEN. He can’t even say anything now. He’s so helpless, Aman’s so helpless. After Shankar ji had got up, Keshav and Goggle made a beeline to him. And gives a hug and rub at the shoulder.

No. if Aman has to marry someone, it’ll be only Karthik Singh.

_Back to the present_

“what problem does your father have with me. That I’m a boy?”, Karthik asks as he sits up facing Aman.

“ _nahi yaar_. It’s the secondary issue. Actually it’s not an issue at all. His problem is that I love someone. _Unka kehna hain, Tripathi khandan mein kabhi love marriage na hua hain, na kabhi hogi._ ”, Aman rolls his eyes.

Karthik takes his hand, “as much as I want to marry you, Aman, but we are only 19. Who’s thinking about marriage now?”

“somebody make him understand that.”

“actually the thing is, he also used to love someone. Some Rani Awasthi---”, goggle says

“Asthana!”

“yeah that. But he got married to someone else. So he’s kinda strict in these matters.”

Karthik droops down and pouts. He takes Aman in a small side hug and Aman too melts in him.

“don’t worry babu, everything will be fine. _Main hoon na_!”, he places a kiss to his temple.

Aman rolls his eyes, “ _wahi toh problem hain_.” But he is evenly ignored as Karthik snuggles in his neck.

In the background Goggle and Keshav looks on until Goggle can’t help and huffs,

“stop being the cheesy shits, guys!”


	18. Lovers' Meet

Karthik is hovering in the kitchen around Sunaina and Champa. And occasionally picking up one two _pakora_ from the bowl. Though he’s getting some playful rebukes from the ladies, he very well knows its just light fun. They have found the boy to be really sweet, because boy Karthik IS sweet. He gossips with them so well, talks about the house, their family and everything. Karthik has really impressed them in just two days.

Karthik is really having fun, he’s literally the rolling laughing emoji as he sees Aman in a very pathetic state, in front of the Sharma family.

Yeah! so they have come. Kusum too. A girl very well educated, beautiful, impressive and talented. But oh so these are going to vain. Karthik thinks. After all the Tripathi boy is tied with him for seven lives to come and Karthik builds up every plan for this. He smirks.

So he takes his last pakora from the bowl giving a super wiggle of his bushy brows and the cheekiest smug grin to the ladies in the kitchen. He comes out from the kitchen, and glances at Aman who does not fail to catch it.

His communication clear, he greets the elders sitting there with a namaste, and climbs up the stairs.

Ten minutes later, he hears someone footsteps at the stairs. He smirks.

“so how’s Kusum?”

“ _jee kar raha hain, tujhe ek khichke thappad maru_! A slap you’re going to remember till the end.” Aman says and stands in front of his lover leaning on the door frame, him on the other.

The sun sets in front of them as they stand at the door of the roof. Sunset in Prayagraj, I say Allahabad, is really beautiful.

“ _waise bhi Taapsee Pannu ki movie aayi hai, chalega dekhne_?”, Karthik asks.

Aman rolls his eyes, “don’t joke Karthik! I’m feeling very frustrated.” Karthik immediately straights up (his position not orientation!) and faces Aman fully. He catches his smaller boyfriend by his waist, pressing chest to chest.

“no baby, lighten up. Don’t be tensed, relax.” He gives his smile, he’s sure to work on Aman. Aman pouts seeing his face and leans his head on his chest, Karthik’s cheeks on his head.

The two stands like this for some time before the coming twilight, basking in the serenity. This is peaceful, only if this calm was in the family right now. How fake and ironic it is. Aman’s father talking with someone’s father for his son’s marriage, and the son here is in the arms of another boy, a person, getting comforted.

“Karthik? Let’s run away.”

“Hmmm?”

Aman takes his face away from his chest and looks straight in to the other’s eyes, “I said let’s run away together back to Delhi.”

An expression of utter confusion passes across the taller boy’s face, “what are you saying.”

By this time Aman is convinced and determined, “yes, let’s run away back to Delhi. We’ll take a different apartment, papa won’t find us there.”

“and what about college?”, Karthik raises his eyebrows, “it’s the first place your father would search for us.”

“ookaay!”, realization dawns over Aman, “it’s true.” He says very low, feeling so stupid.

“and I thought I am the one who gives idiotic and trash ideas. Wake up Aman. Running away is not an option.”

But Aman throws his hands, “then what to do Karthik? My course isn’t completed, papa is saying to change college. And to more on that, there is this engagement shit going on. I’m so frustrated.”

“baby, relax!”

“what relax? What am I gonna do Karthik?”, Aman’s raises his voice as he rants on, “day by day papa’s going more crazy on this stuff. He’s not even trying to understand.”

“he will understand Aman.”

“THE FUCK HE WILL UNDERSTAND! You’re saying this because you’re not going through it. On one side it’s you and on the other is my own father. Even you’re also not doing anything. You’re just sitting here and watching every drama.” He huffs and looks at Karthik with the most disgusted face he ever pulled off.

Aman, in these past two days of Karthik staying at his home, really thought Karthik is gonna back him up and together they will stand in front of his father. He is just really accumulating his anger since then when he sees the utter lack of enthusiasm in Karthik, of stopping his father from admitting him Allahabad and more to stop the engagement. And he till now have not found the answer. His irritated angry brain was so sending him all the negative thoughts. That sends him to depressions more, and insecurities! So in the heat of the moment he gushes it out.

“don’t you want the engagement to stop, Karthik?”

Karthik freezes. Before he can say anything Aman again says, “you want the wedding to happen, right?”

Karthik is shocked, “what the hell are you saying Aman?”

“saale, you want me to stay back in here, and get married to someone else in the future. And you can go back to that guy!”, Aman breathes out.

Karthik gapes out, the words are attacking him so much, “don’t start talking like a mad man, Aman. You don’t know what you’re talking.”

“I’m talking the truth.”

“NO!!”, Karthik ultimately screams.

At Aman.

For the first time.

Aman shuts up instantly. Whereas its now Karthik who rages. He holds Aman’s shoulder in a tight grip, “NAHI! AMAN! YOU ARE WRONG. You’re not getting the point!”

Aman stays quiet. Karthik takes this opportunity to speak, “whom are you fighting against Aman? It’s your father and your family. _Aur aapno se kaise ladenge_ , Aman? They are your own. Cause if we run away today, twenty years later you’ll blame me. ME!”

Aman stares into Karthik’s eyes with his shocked and anguished looks.

Karthik softens down a bit, “don’t look at me like that babu! It’s true. Twenty years later when we will become mature, have a family and settle down, you will miss your parents and family during the holidays. It will be you. Not me. _Kyun ki, saale, mere paas to maa-baap hain hi nahi_. So rather ask me how it feels without a family. And your family is so cool, yaar!”

Aman’s eyes become glazy and he chokes out a sob, “do you love me?”, a tear trickles down his cheeks.

Karthik immediately cuddles him in, “more than anything, babu. And I promise it will be only me whom you’ll marry and me, you. We will take the _pheras_ around the fire, that will promise not seven but infinite lives to come. I will come and sweep my groom up from his feet in front of the whole family with their blessings and acceptance. Your father will bless us with everything he has, your mother will kiss us both and everyone will shower petals on us. I promise. **Aur** **mujhe toh yeh family hi chahiye. I will not run away with you**!” He smiles. To a very emotional stricken Aman who nods. Drops of more tears threatens to spill out his eyes, his red nose slightly runny.

Karthik finds it very cute, so he leans in gives a peck on Aman’s nose tip. Aman gives a tearily chuckle, “like DDLJ?”

“Yeah like DDLJ”, Karthik too chuckles, “but instead of Raj-Simran, this time it will be Karthik-Aman.”

“that’s sounds perfect.”

“just like we are together.”

Aman giggles, “now kiss me you fool!”

And so Karthik complies to it, because his boyfriend has said so. “you’re mine, Aman Tripathi and no one else’s.”

They kiss before the twilight sky, soft yet passionate. The colors of yellow, orange, violet and blue and red all meshing together and falls dimly on their young face. Like fire and like ice.

What’s love without a little conflict? Both Karthik and Aman deep down know, there are other couples in love who face way more greater obstacles in their way of happy ending. And so in middle of all that they are sure they will have a happy ending no matter what.

Little do they know, a hidden figure is standing in the stairs and listened to almost all their conversation. There is a low sniffle but a smile of happiness. And if Karthik and Aman were not too engrossed in their kiss, they would have heard a soft sound of bangles clinking descending down the stairs.

_Kyun ki woh bhi ma hain, aur haar ma ke paas dil hota hain!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DDLJ is short for Dilwale Dulahniya Le Jayenge: a cult romance movie in bollywood of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in 1995.


	19. Baby Steps

It’s been six days now, since Karthik has come to stay at the Tripathi’s. And say it or not, maybe it’s Karthik’s charm every one has come to love this adorable boy.

Almost everyone.

Because Shankar Tripathi is not liking how Karan has made such a comfortable bond with the family, how jovial he is, and keeps everyone happy in such a short time. It’s suspicious. And certainly the fact how Karan is so becoming close with his son, Aman.

“wah Chachi! You’re looking so pretty!”, Karthik nods his head in appreciation.

“ _aur mein? Mein kaisi lag rahi hoon_?” Sunaina snatches his words now as he holds one earring to her ears.

A jeweler vendor was passing the streets. so Aman’s mother had stopped him and all the three ladies at home and some other ladies in the neighborhood had stopped by. There is some bargaining and selling going on.

“tell me Karan, which one should I buy. The dangling one or the hoops?”, Champa asks him.

“aarey take the hooves!”, it’s Chaman answers from behind. But his wife didn’t like it.

“nahi, I asked Karan! He will tell.”

Chaman feigns surprise and hides his smile, “what Karan? For you even my wife is not considering my options.” There is an eruptions of giggles and snickers. Karthik directly kneels down and hugs Champa from behind, “she can be your wife but she’s my sweet chachi.” And earns a sweet press of cheeks from his chachi in return.

“now Karan!”, Sunaina interrupts, “what should I take?”

“take the bangles, aunty, they are better than the necklace. You always wear the same bangles.” Sunaina smiles at him, “ _saahi bola tune, bhaiya ji yeh chudiya de pack kar dijiye_!”

The vendor smiles at the Tripathi ladies, “ _inka choice aap hi ka pasand hain laagta hain.”_

The mother smiles and places a hand on Karthik’s head, “ _kya kaare, bilkul bete jaisa hi hain_.” Chacha and chachi also smiles at the notion. In between them Goggle is also bursting at the happiness radiating.

“that is what I want to become”, Karthik mumbles as looks behind him to see Aman sitting on a cot at a distance.

He smirks at him and throws a wink at him, who is watching his lover interacting with his family. He also smiles back at Karthik. The scene before him is too precious to say.

Karthik sometimes helps Sunaina ji at the kitchen, spreading the _acchars_ under sunlight, keeping the utensils at place, and sometimes serving the food to the family. And chachi also while arranging the dried clothes from the ceiling or filling the buckets with tap water. At the end of the day he sits with everyone and gossips with them, what’s happening in the locality or in the TV serials.

He accompanies Keshav to the local playground for cricket, and damn he’s brilliant in the game.

“you should have said it earlier. I would bring you every day.” Keshav cannot stop gushing how he will be the coolest _‘jiju’_ in town. Or goes with Kusum a day or two to the market to buy fabrics for new clothes and curtains.

He accompanies chachu early in the morning to bazaar to buy vegetables and grains. And when he comes home, and Sunaina calls him to the kitchen he does not forget to brush his hands on Aman’s hand with a smirk and leave his lover in a blushing mess.

But the most difficult to approach is Aman’s father, Shankar ji. Say it whether in his library or in at the evening while he reads newspaper whenever Karthik is like, “uncle!”, Shankar ji turns this sour face to him, his mood turns that not-so-bubbly. But he doesn’t give up. He makes small talk though.

“your nursery is so beautiful, uncle!”

“really? You went there?”, he hides a secret ambitious smile behind an angry voice.

“I—I mean, I went with aunty, yesterday! But it’s really good.” Karthik tones a little bit.

Its very short talk though. Sports and sometimes about botany, because Karthik has a little knowledge on life science. But when he becomes too frank, Tripathi ji immediately gives the big round eyes with strict looks.

But it’s better than not communicating at all. It will improve, Karthik believes.

Though the best part is when he sits down with Aman when he goes through some old books of maths and science. Karthik will sit down with him and to solve the problems along with him on a cot in the courtyard. Though taking up the pen and write things on the paper is just an excuse to touch Aman’s hand up his arm every now and then. Even though the family members are present.

So obviously he gets a slap on his hand from Aman.

Karthik pouts and goes on to scribble something on paper and throw at other boy.

_I LOVE YOU. WHAT SHOULD I DO FOR YOU TO SAY BACK?_

Aman cannot but help to chuckle at his boyfriend’s childishness. He smirks, it’s time to tease him. So he throws back the paper.

_SCREAM OUT THAT YOU LOVE ME._

Is there anything, Karthik is afraid of? NO! he puts on this ‘you challenged me now deal with’ narrow eyes and crumbles the paper.

“AMA—”

Aman instantly covers his mouth.

“ _kya hua_?”Chaman who is watching the live India vs. England, turns his head. Keshav and Sunaina also peeps.

Aman stumbles, “no… no.. nothing! We’re just having fun.”, while he quietly says, “what were you going to do, _gaadhe_?”

Karthik eyes him, “exactly what you told me to do, _saale_!”

Aman stares at him for a moment, “come after some minutes” and he stands up and goes up the stairs.

Karthik smirks. His life is better than a thriller movie.

Twenty minutes later, Karthik is seen throwing his head backwards against the wall, Aman on his knees in front of him, giving the best blowjob of his life. Just the scene of Aman on his knees, his cheeks hollowed out, lips moist with pre-cum and saliva, sucking his length……………………….. fuck! how dare he make eye contact looking up. That pure haze and lust in them, Karthik is ‘this’ close to his orgasm, “Aa—Aman! I’m comi—”

Aman stands up to bring Karthik lean down for a kiss. A tangy taste of saliva and cum roam around their mouth.

Karthik smirks, “ _itni acchi kaha se sikha, saale_?”

“ask one more question and this will be the last ever time I’ll blow you.” It’s not an empty threat, Karthik knows Aman can do it and shall do it. He shuts up and proceeds to have a better kiss this time, then Aman’s smooth neck—his favourite spot to drop kiss and nuzzle…

“Aman! Come for dinner, beta”, Sunaina class from downstairs. The young couple breaks apart but there lies a glint of happiness and a thrill of secret love.

I have already told you, there always lie an complex equation behind the simplest façade.

“have you seen, Karan? I also served his plate.” Sunaina asks her son when he sees him sitting at his plate.

Aman swears it will be Keshav who will out them to their family with his ill-timing snorting. But Goggle knows better to _handle_ a situation, “woh tai ji! I saw him entering his room, he must be there. He will come soon.”

“oh, okay!”

Aman throws a secret grateful glance at her. But she does, as every other little sister, make sure make her _jiju_ choke on his food when he comes to sit beside her at dinner, as she teases about their not-so-secret little rendezvous.

.

“Devika called me in the afternoon”

Aman, Keshav and Goggle turns to look at Karthik. The four are dozing in a spare room after dinner and having light chats when Karthik feels it is the right time to say it.

Aman asks, “is there any problem back there?”. Keshav meanwhile tells to Goggle that Devika is Karthik’s best friend and also their class mate.

Karthik sighs, “no, not at all. Rather she and Kabir bhaiya found out the real case that happened at the party that night.”

“really?”, came in unison.

Karthik purses his lips and nods, “apparently a guy named Rudra was behind all this.” He turns to Aman and asks carefully, “do you know him? he is from our class but different section.”

Aman first frowns, then his expressions opens, “Rudra? Rudra Saha? Section B ka?”

“you know him?”, Keshav asks.

“why you also saw him, that day in the library. Arey that day when papa called you and told he’ll be coming to Delhi. Remember?”

“ahh!! Yes.. yes…”, Keshav screams, “he was sitting with you at the chair.”

But Karthik halts there, “wait, wait! You two know him? Aman, how? I mean—”

Aman’s expression immediately turns sour. He then narrates how that fucker had come to propose him and asked Aman date him. But here Aman had not-so-politely asked him to kindly fuck off.

But Karthik is burning with absolute fire. How dare this Rudra do this? “ _chutiya mere boyfriend ko propose karta hain_? Let me go back to Delhi once—”

“leave that!”, Aman shrugs, “but how’s he related to the actual story?”

“Devika had once told me she had overheard Rudra’s friends saying he likes Aman. And that he wanted to make Aman his boyfriend. Here is the part that Rudra proposed MY boyfriend..”

“I refused him baby, so calm down now.”

“… for that to take revenge on me, he made a plan to create a misunderstanding between us. The guy would call me in and just as Aman would follow in the room he’ll kiss me. He wanted to show Aman I cheated on him, and that he’ll leave me and go to him”, Karthik huffs, “what an idiotic plan. _thoda to dimaag lagata_!”

“but who’s that guy who kissed you?”

“I forgot his name, but he’s not from our college.”

“what’s his gain now?”

“he only knows!”, the four bursts out laughing, roasting the various flaws of the plan. Though it created a mess momentarily, but it was such a bad.

It is 12 o’ clock . so all decides to leave for bed. Aman drops a kiss to Karthik’s temple and a sweet smile. No body knows what shall come tomorrow. So it’s better to end the day with a sweet smile and memory. As they leave for their respective rooms, Goggle stops back Karthik.

“you know Aman turns into the fucking ‘heart eyes’ emoji whenever he sees you, right. He loves you that much!”

Karthik laughs, “yes I know, and I love him back, Goggle.”

She smiles, “never leave him alone. He will die and you will too. You have got the love, stay rooted to it.”

“thanks Goggle.” Karthik bear hugs his sister. Yeah! because why not.

“nobody knows what shall come tomorrow. Never leave his side, _jo bhi problem ho jaaye_.”

“promise Goggle. He is too precious to just give away”,

Goggle smugs, “ _tut oh best jiju hain_!”

Karthik laughs, “ _aur tu best saalii_ ”.

Little do they know what holds for the next.

Its either the real beginning or their end!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry! the smut came out of nowhwere!


	20. The Road to Love

A simple identity card can turn the whole world upside down. I have said it before, the simplest of things behind the complex ones.

The day, Karthik’s seventh day of visit, had started normally like no other. The usual bustle around the house, the chattering, bickering, and house hold works and reading newspapers.

Karthik is also sitting on the cot with Aman, organizing his back pack. He had taken out everything and putting them back neatly and gossiping with Aman. The entire cot is filled up with papers and cards, pens and small sheets. Aman is repeatedly teasing him how he never writes a word on his copy with his pen but still manages to have this shit load of pens.

In between the gossips and talks, Sunaina ji calls, Goggle, Keshav, Aman and _Karan_ to the kitchen. Because she has made some _kheer_ , and “the youngers obviously will be the first one to taste it!”

The four rushes to the kitchen, and bowls of kheer are already waiting for them.

Karthik has literally moaned out, “ _kya baat hain aunty_! I never ate such good handmade kheer ever.”

“from now on you will!”, she slowly says and the four stops to look at her. She has this unreadable pleasant expression on her face, that exudes motherly vibes. And Karthik-Aman don’t want think it as a lie.

The moment is diffused silently, the four come out of the kitchen, high in the delight of _ma-ka-banaya_ kheer. Karthik feels good, these family vibes he has never felt before. And he also gets to romance his lover, albeit secretly, but hey, it’s better than any romance.

“chachi let me help you!,” he sits with Champa and Goggle to spread the grains on the ground, and sometimes they will all giggle, “Goggle, wheat farmer went to a doctor once and told him, I keep having these strange headaches. You know what the doctor told?” Karthik wiggles his brows.

“what?”

“the doctor said, it’s my-grains!”

As much as it is a very frustrating jokes, they are bound to crack up. Goggle literally smacked her own face on the floor. With the little chats in, they continued to do their job.

Aman comes out of the kitchen and heads to join his boyfriend and the others to join them when Shankar ji calls out, “Karthik beta, come here once!”

“ha.. uncle _aaya_!”, Karthik immediately responses as reflex.

And the whole courtyard at once felt like everything freezes.

Aman halts where he is, stoned horrified, and looks at Karthik. Karthik at first does not realise what he did. But then it strikes him with thousand bricks crashing over his head. His eyes reflects all the scared and perplexed emotions at once. He gulps. He really fucking screwed this up REAL BAD.

He exasperatedly smacks his head, “oh shit!”

With one look at Aman with a kicked-puppy face and a lip upturned, both looks at the villain of their romance.

Shankar Tripathi.

Standing before the cot.

With a card in his hand.

Identity card. Karthik’s identity card.

Of his college.

Karthik internally as well as externally, cringes. The biggest shudder he can gather.

This is why your mothers always say to keep things assembled. And everything in place. So maybe if Karthik had organized his bag previously and had kept ID in bag, maybe the father would have not found it.

Well that realization is now the drain. You fucked up really well, Karthik Singh. He gives a mental slap to his own shoulder. And is it surprising that all Aman, Keshav and Goggle with their palms either on their mouths or slapped to their foreheads or at their cheeks, are thinking the same thing?

Aman by this past minute wonders, why his father has still not aimed knives or a sickle at them by now.

And everything after that happens is a slow motion.

Aman finds himself supporting Karthik up as his father walks up and slapped him down, and currently being held back by Chaman and Keshav. Champa and Goggle are too struck to even move.

“so you are Karthik!”, Shankar screams as he tries to break free, “you lied to us.” He breaks the hold and marches to grab his collar and again slaps him, “You had the audacity to come in to my house and meet my son. The sheer audacity!”

“papa! Papa! _Aap kya kar rahe hain_?! Leave him”. Aman shouts at his father as he comes to stand between his father and his lover. 

“and I told you Aman, not to contact him”

“I didn’t contact him papa, he came here in his free will.”

Shankar ji holds his wrists and pulls him, “I’ll fix your engagement by tomorrow. I don’t want to see you ever with this boy. CHAMAN! THROW HIM OUT OF THE HOUSE!”

“ _kya hua?_ Why you guys are shouting?” Sunaina comes out of the room to the courtyard, “what is the mess?”

“mess? _Sunaina dekho kya kiya humare ladke_ ne. He sneaked in this filth under all our noses. _Humare khatirdaari ka fayeda uthaya iss ladke ne!_ ” he points at Karthik and fumes. His grip on Aman tightens and Aman feels the pain sipping through the bone.

“what are you saying Shankar ji? Karan toh----”

“Karan nahi, Sunaina ji! He’s not Karan…”,

The mother interrupts, “he’s Karthik! I know.”

The heat drops to sudden volume of surprisement and confusion. Karthik, Aman and Shankar ji looks at Sunaina.

“what?”

“ _Keshav aur Goggle jaante hain_ , obviously. But Chaman, Champa and me, we also know it!”

The father falls from the seventh heaven, “what? And you didn’t even tell me? You let it happen in front of you?” He glares at Aman, “you’re going to get engaged with Kusum and it’s final.”

“papa!”, Aman tries to hold back as his father drags him.

“YOU’RE WRONG TRIPATHI JI!”, dusting his shoulders Karthik rises up. It’s the first time he speaks up since the whole debacle started. He speaks unabashedly, “if anyone your son’s going to get engaged it will be me. If he’s marry someone, that will be me.”

He walks up to his lover’s father, his head held high. Like the first day he came out and walked on the streets and entered his school. Fearless and with confidence. He stands right in front of the father, “because no one can love your son like me, and no one can keep your son happy like me.”

Shankar ji gapes at this brave declaration to him, quite shocked and astonished as his body loses its firmness.

But Aman’s eyes glazes at Karthik. Him walking up to his father and saying he loves his son with pure dominance waves emotions in him. he can never fall in love more with his courage. The loose grip on his father’s on him let’s him free his hand as he runs to stand beside Karthik.

He takes Karthik’s arm. He looks back at his father, “papa. He’s true papa.” Aman begs.

“no one else can keep me happy, like Karthik can! And don’t you want that? Too see your son happy?”

“but Aman, Kusum is a better girl!”

Aman huffs, “Kusum can be the best girl, papa. But Karthik is perfect for me. However he is, whatever he is. I’ll be happy with him.” He glances at Karthik and he too glances back. A small sad smile forms on their lips, “but papa? How can I be happy without my family, without you in life?”

Karthik speaks up, “bless us, uncle. We both need it. We don’t want to do it without our elders.”

“I told him, papa, I suggested him, we can run away!”, Aman chokes, “but he wanted to stay back and win over your hearts, to get accepted by the family. It’s him who kept me here and him to become a part of the family.”

Shankar ji’s eyes widens, he becomes deathly quiet. As do others in the background. But all had a hint of a sad smile plastered to their lips. 

“we are just 19, uncle. How can you expect us to live us on our own.”, Karthik says, “we are happy with each other. And I promise to keep your son happy always. And I promise to give every exam you give to prove that I will be perfect _damaad_ to the house.”

People in the background chuckles at that. Chaman also speaks up, “he’s saying the truth, bhaiya! Karthik will be the perfect _damaad_ for us!”

“oyee! My marriage is still left okay?”, Goggle excitedly warns. The family laughs at her antics.

But Shankar ji stays quiet, only seeping in the words. Sunaina says, “think about Kusum too, Shankar ji. Her young life will also be wasted, if she has to marry Aman. Three lives will get destroyed, and ours too. We can’t let that happen as parents.”

“waise bhi”, Champa chuckles, “our Karthik is too good looking and also efficient in house hold works—”

“except cooking!”, Keshav adds, “he made this horrible meal back at Delhi. And Aman and Devika had to cook again”. Every one laughs at that as Karthik pouts, but ultimately grins.

But they all look at Shankar ji, waiting for him to say something. The father also look at their expectant faces, especially his son.

It’s too much to absorb from the atmosphere. It’s suffocating.

So leaves the place. And goes to his nursery upstairs.

“its’s Sunaina bhabi, who told us about you!” Chaman and Champa looks at each other and chuckle.

It’s evening. The heat soaked afternoon has died down. Warm breeze blew from the Ganga. Karthik understands this city has lot more to offer than it actually shows. After all this city has _almost_ given him a family he has always craved for.

“how did you know, mummy?” Aman frowns and looks at his siblings.

Goggle waves her hand, “aai shaapath! I never said anything. Keshav, you?”. The brother too waves out, “me neither!”

Sunaina laughs, “no one told me, beta! Just know I am a mother. And we always know things.”

Karthik snuggles in to Sunaina, “thank you, aunty—”

“aarey, ‘aunty’ nahi. Call me mummy!”

Bliss.

Aman and Karthik feels bliss to their ears. “okay! Mummy!”, Karthik tastes the words on his lips after so, so many years, and it’s sweeter than all nectar. He continues to hug her with all his possible limbs around.

It is a happy moment, with everyone around, acceptance and shared love.

If only…………….

Shankar ji comes down the stairs to the family gathering in front of the small tv in the courtyard. His face pale but one can see a conviction in there. He is slow in his steps, even unaware of himself, as something is eating him in and out. He then sees his children’s faces, smiling and happy and cracking jokes. Not only Karthik and Aman, but Keshav and Goggle too. They also had their faces sour, since they had come back from Delhi.

Something had kept away this mirth from their faces since too long. Maybe it is Shankar Tripathi himself.

He goes to sit down on the wooden chair kept there. Every one seeing him becomes a little alert. Shankar does notice that. He feels he is the one keeping way this happiness.

After a few moment of pregnant silence, of absolutely no words. Just sounds of breathing and wind rustling he says, “I called the Sharma family!”

Aman instantly becomes teary eyed and holds Karthik’s hands as strongly as ever. So has all this really gone to vain? And his father will anything his father thinks right?

The time when he is thinking about the worst to happen, with hazy brain system, “I told them that the engagement and the relation is called off”, he hears his father’s voice in the distant.

Aman sobs out, “papa”, as he crawls to his father and hugs him tightly in small. He smears into his papa and Shankar ji rubs his hair.

“I’m sorry, beta.”

“na—nahi papa!” Aman cries out deeply. And Karthik pouts a little and yeah, he needs it too. He also goes to hug his father.

And Shankar gladly welcomes it too. He dearly hugs his sons. And there might or might not be a few sniffles in the back.

“papa?”, Karthik eyes are also glassy.

Shankar ji places his palm on his head, “papa!”, he affirms.

Karthik knew Allahabad has a lot to offer. This city has given him a family he has always craved for. And most importantly Aman.

Aman Tripathi. Who has let him share his own family. And Karthik loves him more for that.

And he promises to love him each passing day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's almost finished, just shall wrap with an epilogue.


	21. Epilogue

“ride me baby!”, Karthik growls. He switches his position to fall on his back on the bed, and let’s Aman strangle his crotch in between his thighs. Aman smirks at him and slides on his cock in one swift go. Karthik breathes in deep air, and the wet heat surrounds his member, Aman’s rim tightening around his length.

Aman pushes up and continues to ride his husband while Karthik strokes him. And in the moment Aman reaches his climax and cums all over Karthik’s stomach, as he clenches around the other’s member, enough to spill the seed out of Karthik inside Aman.

With a deep breathe Aman falls on Karthik’s chest and his caring husband at once surrounds his arms around his waist. They both bask in the afterglow a brain wracking sex session. It was hot, steamy and sexy, but full of passion, romance and love.

Aman looks up to Karthik’s face from his chest. The light from the bedside lamp falls dimly on their bodies, but its enough for the glint sparkling on the gold nose ring Karthik is wearing. Aman crawls up to kiss him, and slide his fingers all over the other’s face.

“you look thousand times more sexy with that nose ring on, Mr. Karthik Singh-Tripathi.”

Karthik smirks and presses the small peach tattoo over Aman’s butt, “as do you in your peaches, Mr. Aman Singh-Tripathi!”

They smile into another kiss that binds them.

It’s been eight years, since their first visit to Allahabad together. The starting might have been rough, but with the family’s blessings and love, Aman had finally caught Karthik’s hand running along the train……. like DDLJ!

They together had gone back to Delhi, completed their integrated science scores in flying numbers with their friends and in middle of fun. Devika, to be honest was the biggest support, Karthik and Aman has ever got. Right from solving their quarrels to make them realize how important they are to each other.

In fact Karthik would have even spoiled his own marriage proposal to Aman, if Devika was not there.

“you’re an idiot, you’ll always stay an idiot.” Karthik still hear her voice even in expensive meetings where he sets up business with multinational companies.

Yes! Karthik had decided to MBA course after his MSc., while Aman wanted to carry on his studies, his doctorate and PhD. He aims to be a scientist, like his father. “light interference”, he answers when asked about his thesis paper, and currently works as a junior scientist.

But they were done with their marriage right after their MSc. Because why not? They were basically married. And why to ponder over a thing when its inevitable.

So over the grandeur of every Indian wedding, just like Karthik had said, they had taken the pheras, exchanged their garlands, in between family and close ones showering petals over them and blessings and good will.

Papa Tripathi had given him the gold nose ring as a wedding gift! After months ago, Karthik had come back home with his nose pierced on his way back from college.

“it suddenly came to mind!”, Karthik had answered when Aman asked, “why am I not looking sexy?”, he danced his eyebrows and leans into to brush the ring along Aman’s cheeks, quiet extravagantly.

“it will look good on you.”, Shankar ji smiled at him, and Karthik still wears the nose ring.

After that, Karthik and Aman, both had gone under a drunken night, and together had entered a tattoo shop. Next morning they found themselves naked on each other. It was no surprise, but what was, is a triangle tattoo up on Karthik’s neck. Karthik is quite proud it, because even though in the drunk state he has tattooed a gay pride symbol him. And it’s Karthik, we except it.

But what was not was Aman’s tattoo.

“ _tera dikha_ , Aman! C’mon show it!”

“I’m so embarrassed.”

“we some have tattoos that we are embarrassed of, so show me”

Aman huffed and lifted his shirt, and Karthik laughing slapped his palms on his mouth, “haaww! Aman, it’s your g-spot!”

“I know”, he cried, for a very bold, designed ‘bite me’ was tattooed on the side of his hips, yes on his g-spot there.

Over the years, they found out the tattoo was actually good because it lived up to its name. Because a bite on the tattoo does miracles to their sex life!

Karthik, being the gender-fluid and a divine-concerned man he is did a ‘shiv and shakti’, and personally trained to do tattoo drawings, so that he can himself tattoo a peach on his husband’s butt three months later. I mean who would let other people tattoo on their better halves butt!

They are happy and sated now. But that does not mean they do not quarrel. Of course they do, but someone just go and back hugs the other, and all the tension, anxiety melts away.

Karthik and Aman lives are like cog wheels. One cannot function with the other, and one needs the other. Like yin and yang; like shiv and shakti. And there is a harmony that balance it. Karthik and Aman are not perfect, neither are we. But they find happiness and love in their smallest of interactions in their daily lives. Or crack jokes while binging Netflix, “how many times have I told you not to show your face to me or slapped you?”

“yet I am your beloved husband now!”

Love come to their way as physics comes to biology, like simple harmonic motion to complex numbers. They are poles apart but still they come together. Being simple and complex are the two ends of life, and to love and to be loved is what in the middle. What started with a slap, in now a full-fledged domestic fluff love.

Karthik and Aman feel it too. They are happy with the simplicities and the complexities in their family, them, their parents, their siblings, their uncle-aunts, their best friends and their well-wishers.

And well maybe also the little peanuts, Karan and Amarti, that will run around their apartments in the future. And the proud fathers will say they are their brave son and inspirational daughter.

“But why Karan and Amarti?” if you ask

Then Karthik will dreamily smugly answer, “while ‘Karan’ has its own history,

both are the fusion of my and my husband’s names.”

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that peach tattoo idea, i got it from a story i had read long ago! it's not my original idea, and I also forgot the story, so if any one of you ever read a story with such an info, tell me in the comments! 
> 
> and it's kinda hot! i mean how can I pass the idea of Jeetu having a tattoo on his bum! *smirks in evil*
> 
> So guys! that's it, hope you liked the story! it was fun writing, and I'll tell you to use your creativity and write something for this fandom. don't forget to give kudos and share your opinion in the comments. good day! :D


End file.
